


Soy como tu

by Junliet



Series: Barbie AUs [3]
Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: Angst, Cat! Jun, Cat! Rika, Falling In Love, Fluff, Inspired by Barbie as The Princess and the Pauper (2004), M/M, Mistaken Identity, Morozov is a douche, knife shoes appreciation society
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-19
Packaged: 2019-10-29 04:52:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 21,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17801375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Junliet/pseuds/Junliet
Summary: "I'm just like you.""You are?""You're just like me. There's somewhere else we'd rather be. Somewhere that's ours. Somewhere that dreams come true. Yes, I'm a guy like you!"((AKA, the princess and the pauper au featuring Yuzuvier, Shason, cats Jun and Rika, poodle Trusova, and nostalgia for everyone who watched the Barbie film))





	1. I'll be free!

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ForeverDoesntExist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForeverDoesntExist/gifts).



> Hello everyone! This is going to be yet another "Anonymous rewrites a Barbie film and makes Yuzuru a princess because he is one, and ships everyone" thing because some friends of mine recently got me into Shason and I fell down one heck of a rabbit hole. As you can probably guess given that this is a gift, someone in particular has been super helpful with all the characters, advice about whether people should sing or not, and has generally been wonderful
> 
> Character list just so no one gets confused:  
> Annelise: Shoma  
> Erika: Yuzuru  
> Julian: Jason  
> Dominick: Javier  
> The Queen: Mihoko  
> Seraphina: Rika  
> Wolfie: Jun  
> Preminger: Plushenko  
> Midas: Sasha  
> Madame Carp: Morozov  
> The other seamstress: Miki  
> Nick and Nack: Evgenia and Alina  
> The ambassador: Brian  
> Herve: Daisuke
> 
> When the speech is in italics, someone is singing

_Once upon a time, in a kingdom high on a mountaintop, something amazing occurred. At the very same moment, two identical baby boys were born. One was a baby prince. Queen Mihoko was overjoyed; Prince Shoma would have only the finest things that Japan could offer. The second baby boy was named Yuzuru. His parents loved him every bit as much as the queen loved the prince, but they worried. They were so poor! How would they ever be able to care for their little baby?_

_Many years passed, and Prince Shoma learned his royal duties. He wasn’t a huge fan of paying attention to them, and his mother often ended up scolding him. She employed a young man called Jason to help him learn. The man from America worked hard each day to help the prince to learn without boring him to death. While the prince learnt his duties, Yuzuru worked long and hard as a tailor for the spiteful Mr Morozov. With lives so different, it wasn’t surprising that the prince and the pauper had never met._

_But fate decreed they would._

_It all started at the royal mine, when the miners informed the queen that the gold had run out._

“What?” she asked, frowning into the empty gold cart.

“Sorry Ma’am, but we couldn’t find anything. The gold mine is completely empty.”

Mihoko shook her head, rubbing her temples. She smiled at the two miners before she went back to the palace, panicking internally. The kingdom was now bankrupt. How would she take care of her people?

“Is everything alright Ma’am?” Jason asked gently, placing tea down for her on the table. She smiled at him politely and nodded.

“Yes, it’s… It’s alright. Do you know where Evgeni is?”

“He’s still away on his long journey Ma’am,” Jason said gently. “I’m sorry.”

“Of course he is. Just when I need to act quickly,” Mihoko sighed, flopping into her chair in a very unladylike way. “Thank you Jason. Where is Shoma?”

Jason smiled and stepped back from the table. “Oh, he’s having a nap at the moment Ma’am. He’s turning into a very promising scientist.”

Mihoko’s face lit up and she grabbed Jason’s shoulders, grinning. “Shoma! That’s it! Of course!”

“It, Ma’am?”

“It, of course! Javier Fernandez from Madridia is looking for a husband! He’s got the money to support our kingdom!”

Jason nodded slowly, face settling into a smile as he realised what Mihoko meant.

“Ohhh, we’re late, late, late!” Shoma rolled his eyes as the guard flitted around him in a frenzy. “We have about twenty minutes left for your suit fitting, and then we have to rush off for you to give a speech at the historical society!”

Shoma glanced down at his shiny black kitten, who rolled her eyes along with her owner. The kitten jumped back in shock as the guard unrolled his schedule for the day. It hit her tail and she hissed angrily, claws ready to shred it to pieces.

“After that we have to rush, and I mean _rush!_ To the horticultural society tea!”

“A garden party.” Shoma mumbled through a stifled yawn.

The guard carried on, not listening. “Then it’s your maths lesson, geography lesson…”

Shoma ignored the guard as he stepped away from everyone trying to fit his wedding suit. It had been a day, one single day, since his wedding had been announced and he’d been swarmed with engagement presents and extra duties. He didn’t have time to read very much at all, or even chat to Jason that much anymore. He shook his head and opened the balcony doors and looked out over the kingdom.

“ _All my life I’ve always wanted to have one day just for me! Nothing to do and for once nowhere I need to be. With no lessons, Lords, or lunches, or to-do list in the way. No one to say when to eat or read or leave or stay.”_ Shoma scooped up his black kitten, much to the protests of all of the designers of the white wedding suit. He bounced her in his arms and she purred at him, messing up his already unruly curls with a paw. “That’ll be the day, won’t it Rika?”

She purred louder, nuzzling up against his neck gently.

“What would it be like to be free Rika? Free to try crazy things, free to fly! And to marry whom I choose…” He tailed off as he smiled over the gardens, looking down from the balcony to see Jason studying one of his favourite rose bushes. The prince sighed as he leaned his head on his hand on the balcony, watching as his friend and tutor drew the roses in his sketchbook.

“I’m so sorry Shoma,” the prince turned to face his mother, “but it is vital you marry King Javier. It’s the only way to take care of our people, and it’s our duty to take care of our people first.”

Shoma nodded, pushing some of his curls out of his eyes. “I know. I know how hard it was for you to make this decision and I understand.”

“If only if Evgeni had been home…”

“But he wasn’t.” Shoma argued with a from. “You had to do what’s best for the people and the kingdom. It’s our duty after all.”

Mihoko smiled sadly and hugged him tightly. “Thank you Shoma. Oh! Look!” She let go of him and smiled as she turned Shoma around by the shoulders. “Another engagement gift!”

Shoma took the ribbon from the newest present and used it to lure his kitten out onto the balcony with him.

“ _You would think that I’m so lucky that I have so many things. I’m realising that every present comes with strings.”_ Shoma mused as she jumped up, trying to catch the end of the ribbon. He tied the purple ribbon around her neck with a soft smile before he picked her up and looked out over the kingdom again.

“Wouldn’t it be fun to go on an adventure one day Rika? You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Especially if there was some sort of fishy reward for you involved.” He chuckled and scratched behind her ears. “I’d love to be free.”

“ _I close my eyes and feel myself fly a thousand miles away. I could take flight, but would it be right? My conscience tells me stay.”_

Rika wiggled in his arms, trying to reach for a blue butterfly that fluttered past the prince and the kitten. Shoma laughed and held her back, watching as the elegant insect fluttered past Jason too in the garden. The royal advisor held his finger out and the blue creature landed on it for a moment before it set off into the rest of the kingdom. The guard pulled Shoma back into the room to finish fitting his suit, screeching about the schedule.

The butterfly flew down from the palace into the main part of the kingdom, past the pubs and several shops before it fluttered into the tailors’ shop and landed on a work bench. It took off very quickly as a young man placed down a pile of fabrics with a roll of his eyes.

“You know what Junnie? All my life I’ve wanted one day, just one day.”

“Sing Yuzuru,” the man looked up to see his work friend feeding her baby with a smile. “I know you want to. Go on.”

Yuzuru chuckled lightly. “If you insist Miki.” He picked up the kitten with a smile and held him like a baby as he started to sing.

“ _All my life I’ve always wanted to have one day for myself! Not waking up with a pile of work on every shelf.”_ He gestured to the piles and piles of fabrics and design sketches on shelves and Jun shivered a little at the sheer amount of work. _“With no hems in need of pressing, and no sleeves in disarray. No wedding gown with a thousand stiches to crochet!”_

He set down Jun with a little smile before he rolled his eyes, picking up his box of threads and needles. “And no debt to pay.” He added a little coldly.

“What do you think I’m running here? A cabaret?” A taller man towered over Yuzuru and the younger man looked away, eyes averted to the floor.

“I would have said a debtor’s prison.” He mumbled, scooping up Jun.

“Keep laughing,” the man glared at him and he looked at Miki with eyes of fire, “after all Yuzuru, you’ll be working for me for another thirty-seven years.”

“What?” Yuzuru looked up in horror, “But I’ve already paid off more than half! Morozov-san, please, be reasonable!”

“There’s the interest, isn’t there? Your parents should have thought of that before they borrowed so much.”

“They did it to feed me.” Yuzuru mumbled into Jun’s ears. Morozov shrugged nonchalantly.

“Their mistake.”

He slammed the door to his office and Yuzuru forced himself to calm down. “What’s it like to be free Miki? Free from endless “I owe you”s? Free to sing?”

“I don’t know,” she mumbled, rocking her daughter gently. “I wish I knew.”

Yuzuru picked up a piece of fabric and pretended to wear it like a cloak with a little smile. “ _Though I know I have so little, my determination’s strong! People will gather from round the world to hear my song!”_

Yuzuru slumped down into his seat and picked up his needle, threading it as he started to work on the sleeves of the suit at the top of his pile. “One day I promise you Miki, I’ll be free from here. And you’ll be there too, I promise you that I’ll make sure you’re there. One day when I’m free from all this debt and everything, Junnie and I will make something of ourselves.”

“I know you will,” Miki picked up her own needle and work and Yuzuru chewed his lip sadly. “I know you will. You’ve got a very free heart Yuzuru. You can’t stay caged up somewhere like here forever. Those dreams that you have will give you something to aim for.”

Yuzuru nodded, finishing up on the sleeves. He admired his handiwork before he stood to hang the suit up in the back room. He glanced over to Morozov’s locked office door before he stepped out onto the balcony and looked up at the palace.

“What would it be like to be free?” He asked himself, leaning on his hand. _“I close my eyes and feel myself fly a thousand miles away. I could take flight, but would it be right? My conscience tells me stay!”_

“My conscience says I should stay.” Shoma explained to Rika on the balcony again. She nodded and rubbed up against his hand gently, purring quietly. “It would break Mother’s heart if I ran away. I’ve got to stay here. _I’ll remain forever royal.”_

“I’ve got to stay,” Yuzuru mumbled to Jun as he traced the vines wound around the balcony railing. “Morozov, he’d never let me lose the debt that easily, even if I ran away. He’d find me and drag me back kicking and screaming. I’ve got to stay.” Jun rubbed up against his leg and he smiled, petting his black ears gently. _“I’ll repay my parents’ debt!”_

 _“Duty means doing the things your heart may well regret!”_ Both Yuzuru and Shoma announced to their cats.

“ _But I’ll never stop believing.”_ Shoma promised Rika as he looked back out at Jason in the garden.

 _“He can never stop my schemes.”_ Yuzuru said firmly, picking a white rose from the vines twisting around the balcony edge.

“ _There’s more to living than gloves and gowns and threads and seams. Hear my dreams!_

“I’ll be free!” The two, vastly different men promised themselves, each with the sky and a kitten as their only witnesses.

“When you’re done being free,” the guard announced from behind Shoma, and the prince cringed, “you should get a move on. You’re already ten minutes late for your speech! And look at you! Goodness gracious, you’ve got black fur all over that nice white suit! Put the cat down and get into the carriage Your Highness!”


	2. How could I refuse?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the darkness of the night, cut into the rocks far below the palace, two figures slipped into the darkness of the royal mine. One carried a lantern with them, and they made their way through the winding dark passages, down the old mine shafts, and through spaces only just big enough for them to squeeze through to get to the main part of the mine. They picked up their pick axes and started to chip away at the walls, removing small nuggets of gold and dropping them into the mine cart they’d brought with them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again everyone! Here is the second chapter of this story, and it starts off the plot properly. The villain (singular because I love the two ladies too much to make them proper villains) is introduced properly, and his plot is revealed in the story (sorry Shoma and Mihoko!)
> 
> I'm sorry this chapter is short; the next few will be longer for sure. Thank you for reading, and enjoy xx

In the darkness of the night, cut into the rocks far below the palace, two figures slipped into the darkness of the royal mine. One carried a lantern with them, and they made their way through the winding dark passages, down the old mine shafts, and through spaces only just big enough for them to squeeze through to get to the main part of the mine. They picked up their pick axes and started to chip away at the walls, removing small nuggets of gold and dropping them into the mine cart they’d brought with them. One of them picked up a rock from the cart and held it up to the other.

“Okay, who put this in here?” She said in Russian, raising an eyebrow. The other smiled brightly.

“That would be me!” She rubbed the back of her head bashfully.

“Let us review, shall we?” the other chuckled affectionately. “We are stealing gold.” She held the rock up higher. “Is this shiny?”

“No…” The other said softly, smile dimming slightly.

“Valuable?”

“Nope.”

“Going to make the boss happy?”

“Uh… No.” The younger looked away with a little frown

She tossed the rock over her shoulder and hugged the other one gently and affectionately, ruffling her hair a little as she did. “Focus, Alina. That’s what you need.”

“I know Evgenia, I know. Sorry.”

“Don’t apologise Alina. I don’t mind that much. Just… Be glad I spotted it before the boss did.” She mumbled. Both were unaware that the rock had cracked when it landed after Evgenia threw it, revealing sparkling purple crystals in the centre that shimmered in the dim lighting provided by the two lanterns. The two turned back to the rocks, chipping away at the walls to try and find more gold in them.

“Do you think we’ve mined them out completely?” Alina asked.

Evgenia shrugged. “I think so. It doesn’t look like there’s much, and the Queen said that she’s going to marry the Prince off to that king. She wouldn’t have made that decision unless it was really necessary, would she?”

“I hope we’re not hurting anyone by doing this.” Alina mumbled as she picked up a small lump of gold and placed it into the mine cart.

A loud creaking interrupted them both. They froze, staring into the darkness in the direction of the entrance of the mine.

“Shh!” Evgenia went, raising a finger to her lips.

Alina blew out one of their lanterns, and both girls jumped into the mine cart to hide with little squeaks of pain as they landed on top of each other. Slowly they raised their eyes up before they ducked down again.

Loud heeled shoes clicked against the metal cart tracks and rocks as a man with slicked back silvery blonde, greasy hair walked into the mine. Trotting behind him was a poodle, holding her head up high as she walked in. The man held a torch up and peered into the mine cart, smirking.

“Why hello ladies.”

“M-master Plushenko! You’re back here! Early!” Alina half hid behind Evgenia as she spoke rapidly. Their boss rolled his eyes and turned away from them both with a frown. “We hope you had a nice journey!”

He walked away and both girls relaxed for a second before the poodle jumped up, barking at them loudly. Alina let out a shriek as she hugged Evgenia tightly, and they both ducked back in the mine cart to hide. Evgenia scrabbled around and picked up the few pieces of gold they’d found and thrown into the cart.

She raised a hand tentatively, holding up the pieces of gold for the dog and their master to see. The dog stopped barking and slipped away, sniffing at the walls of the mine instead, and Plushenko turned back with a small smirk and a more interested look on his face. “Here you are Sir.” Evgenia said, showing him the gold. The last of the gold from the royal mine.” She raised her head above the edge of the cart. “There is nothing left.”

“Yeah,” Alina said with a little chuckle as she sat up too. “Cause it’s all yours!”

“Yes, it is mine,” Plushenko snatched the gold and smiled at it. “Very much mine. Finally.”

He tucked the gold into his pocket and turned to the two ladies. “I’ve been bowing, I’ve been scraping, and I’ve been lying like a fucking rug for ten long years. But today, now, I’m escaping, cause the last gold has been dug.” He pulled the last piece of gold from the wall with a chuckle. “Yes, Miss Gold, how could I refuse?”

He held up a mirror and Evgenia rolled her eyes, keeping herself between Alina and the dog. Plushenko couldn’t care less as he continued to talk to himself, going moony eyed over his own reflection.

“I’m returning home a hero who’s discovered mighty wealth, and what better husband could a prince choose eh? I’m the suitor who will suit him, bring the kingdom back to health, and,” his eyes flashed dangerously as he smiled, “I’ll wear the crown, because how could I refuse?”

He lowered the mirror and smiled at the ladies like a snake about to strike its prey. Evgenia shivered and wrinkled her nose at him. “Raise every glass, and rouse every cheer! Praise that the reign of Plushenko is here! Master in charge of all that I see. All hail me!”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair before he turned to his dog, smiling at her. “And by marrying Prince Shoma, I’ll get all that I desire, like a moat, an ermine coat, and palace views! Even though he treats me coldly, it’s a sign of inner fire, for inside he’s thinking “How could I refuse?” Prince Shoma secretly loves me.” He held his hands to his heart before he looked at his own reflection again. “I mean, who could blame him? I am gorgeous.”

“Right,” Evgenia cut in with a nervous laugh. “There’s just, uh, one, little problem Boss.”

“Prince Boss to you.” Plushenko snapped at her.

“Right,” Evgenia rubbed the back of her neck with another nervous laugh, “well, uh, the Queen decided to marry off the prince to the King of Madridia.”

“What?” Plushenko said, dangerously quiet as he advanced on the two girls. They stepped back, Evgenia putting herself firmly between him and Alina. “Making a decision without me? Who does she think she is?!”

“The Queen?” Alina supplied helpfully from behind Evgenia.

“You simpering simpleton!” Plushenko glared at her aggressively and Alina furrowed her brow as she frowned in confusion.

“But, she is the Queen. She’s got a crown and a sceptre, and sits in her big fancy chair—”

“Silence!” Plushenko turned away from them in frustration. “I won’t let go! This peasant son won’t turn and run because some reckless royal chose another beau!” He paused before he chuckled and smirked.

“Ah, it’s a temporary setback. It’s a momentary lapse. But conveniently my ego doesn’t bruise.” Evgenia snorted at that but he didn’t notice as he continued to monologue, enjoying the sound of his own voice way too much. “And the moment that I get back I will show them who’s the boss! You can bet your bullion there’ll be no “I do’s”. Yes, suppose the boy goes missing, and then the king says “Adios!” Then I find him, bring him back and make the news! Then the Queen will be so grateful that she’ll pledge the heir to moi, and I’ll humbly tell her: How can I refuse?”

“Right, then—” Evgenia tried but she was cut off by Plushenko throwing his arms around dramatically, nearly slapping her in the face. She and Alina exchanged a look before the younger rolled her eyes. They turned back to the monologuing man with a frown, sighing.

Plushenko spoke to no one as he laughed and imagined himself in the palace with the King’s crown on his head. He loved the thought, especially of being able to control the entire kingdom himself. “When the ceremony’s over, I’ll arise and take the throne, and that nitwit Prince Shoma can kiss my shoes. For the kingdom and the castle will be mine, and mine alone! If the crown should fit, then how can I refuse?”

“I wouldn’t exactly call him a nitwit,” Evgenia whispered to Alina. “He is the prince after all. He always seems kind and sweet whenever he’s in public.”

Plushenko turned to the two ladies with a smirk that sent shivers up Evgenia’s spin and she pulled Alina in closer next to her, frowning at their boss.

“So,” Plushenko started, petting his poodle’s head lightly. “Get ready with the roses and stand by with the champagne, when you’ve got a brilliant plan you never lose. Yes, before the chapter closes, I’ll be as big as Charlemagne. It’s a thankless job, but how can I refuse?”

“How could I refuse eh?” He asked before he dissolved into a cackle. “Oh, wouldn’t that be the best sight to see? Me as the King? I’d let you two be important. I’d make you two into real ladies as well so that you could have some power for helping me.”

“But we—”

“How could you refuse?” Plushenko asked, raising an eyebrow at them. Alina hide herself in to Evgenia’s side as much as she could to be out of his eyeline.


	3. I'm just like you!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the morning, Shoma had been whisked away to some function or another, and so Rika had woken up on his bed without him. She’d been fed and she lazily explored the palace, getting a scratch behind the ears gently from Jason and an extra piece of fish from the cook before she strolled casually into the throne room. Mihoko chuckled when she saw her and petted her for a while before she too was whisked away. Rika curled up on Shoma’s empty throne and purred, tail swishing lazily as she prepared for a nap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter of the day, but I've been writing so much of this that it feels like a crime to hold it back when you lovely people could all be reading it! Shoma and Yuzuru finally meet in this chapter, and we get a little bit more of Rika and Jun too. There's also some Yuzuru and Shoma singing, so enjoy that!
> 
> Special thanks once again to ForeverDoesntExist for being so super supportive of the story; I hope you like this xx

In the morning, Shoma had been whisked away to some function or another, and so Rika had woken up on his bed without him. She’d been fed and she lazily explored the palace, getting a scratch behind the ears gently from Jason and an extra piece of fish from the cook before she strolled casually into the throne room. Mihoko chuckled when she saw her and petted her for a while before she too was whisked away. Rika curled up on Shoma’s empty throne and purred, tail swishing lazily as she prepared for a nap.

Plushenko’s poodle stood in the doorway of the throne room, watching as Rika lay happily on the throne. She snarled quietly and pounced for the tail, trying to bite it.

Rika lifted her tail out of the dog’s way with a lazy grin and opened her eyes slowly.

“Enjoy it now sister, because it’s not going to be yours much longer.”

“Oh please,” Rika chuckled at the dog, just raising her head off her paws. “Having delusions again, Sasha?”

“Let’s just say that the throne’s going to belong to my Master, Evgeni.” Sasha paced up and down in front of the throne with Rika on it. “And anything belonging to him ergo and ipso facto, belongs to me!” She growled at the royal cat who gasped, springing onto her feet in shock.

Sasha jumped at her and Rika leapt over her, running across the throne room. Rika slid under the tables while Sasha ran over them, barking loudly at the black kitten. Sasha jumped down from the table to go under them too, still barking at Rika. The royal kitten jumped up on top of a box and the dog didn’t have time to stop herself; she went sailing straight into it. The royal kitten flinched.

“Ooooh… Loose a tooth, Sasha?” She purred quietly.

“My tooth?” Sasha gasped, trying to see her own mouth. “No! No! Not my golden tooth!”

She spun around to the mirror and relaxed when she caught sight of the glint of gold still in her mouth. Her eyes narrowed as she glared at the black kitten.

“You’d better hope you’ve got nine lives Rika.” The cat gasped and ran off towards the kitchens, with the dog hot on her heels. She ducked and weaved around guards and palace staff, but she still didn’t lose Sasha. “Because you’re going to need them all!”

Rika squeaked when the dog nearly caught her tail and sped up, sliding into the kitchens. One of the staff members picked her up and carried her around gently.

“You’re a cute little Princess, aren’t you Miss Rika?” She cooed. The royal kitten purred, looking up at the kind lady with her big brown eyes.

A small growl alerted the woman to the dog in the doorway and she sighed, setting Rika down on a stool. “Plushenko’s let his dog run loose around the palace again. Someone tie it up before Shoma finds out and throws another fit about Rika being chased.”

The royal kitten purred, shooting a smug look at the dog in the doorway as the lady led him out. She was instantly fed some fish, and happily sat on the stool as she was fussed over by the ladies and gentlemen in the kitchen.

Sasha growled the whole time she was led away from Rika.

Shoma yawned as he was let back to the palace after another garden party, horticultural society tea, and he all but ran up to his room. He flipped open his notebook and picked up his sample of a golden, shiny lump of metal. He studied it under his magnifying glass, smiling slightly before he took another note in his book. Rika jumped up on the table and read his slightly messy Kanji with interest before she watched Shoma. The prince smiled, taking yet more notes, when a knock at the door interrupted him.

“Uh… Come in!”

Jason walked in and Shoma’s smile increased tenfold. “Jason! Perfect timing!” He held up the metal and showed it to his friend and tutor. “I’ve classified this as iron pyrite. Pretty, but not considered valuable. Commonly known as fool’s gold.”

“Well done, Your Highness.” Jason said, setting down the prince’s cup of tea with a little bow. Shoma frowned and stood up.

“Your Highness? Why the sudden formality? It’s just me, Jason.”

“The Queen sent me.” Shoma’s eyes widened and he looked down at his feet quickly. Jason continued talking with an unreadable expression on his face. “Apparently the ambassador has arrived with a gift for you.”

“The ambassador? He’s here already?!”

Down in the throne room, the page and ambassador stood before the Queen and Plushenko. The page presented the queen with a box and a low bow.

“On behalf of, uh, King Javier, I present this engagement gift to you.”

The Queen opened the box and smiled brightly at the crystal bracelet inside. “Oh, thank you Orser-san. Prince Shoma will be quite pleased. This is beautiful!”

The page, while the queen was distracted, looked around the room at the portraits of Shoma, smiling a little at one of him holding Rika when she was only a few days old.

“May I enquire, Your Majesty, if you’ll set a date before the wedding? Just so that the Prince and the King can get to know each other before they get married.”

Mihoko considered for a moment before she nodded to the ambassador, smiling. “Will a week from today do?”

“Next week!” Plushenko’s outburst ripped the page’s gaze from the portrait and earned him a raised eyebrow from Mihoko and Brian. “A most wise and thoughtful decision, Your Majesty.”

“Excellent.” Brian smiled as he paced around the page he’d brought with him. “I will… uh… Send for King Javier so that he may meet his new groom.”

_Subtle Brian_

_Shut up Javier. You wanted to come disguised as a page. This is your fault, not mine._

Mihoko gave Jason the box and he took it up to Shoma’s room. The prince was out on his balcony, a pink rose in his hand, and so Jason took the liberty of clasping the bracelet gently around Rika’s furry neck. She purred softly, rubbing up against his hand with a smile before she admired herself in the mirror, studying the shiny crystals. Jason left her and walked out to be next to Shoma on the balcony.

“They’re so happy.” Jason followed Shoma’s gaze to where two young girls were studying the roses in the royal gardens. The Prince placed his hand on the balcony, chewing his lip a little. “Free to do whatever they want.”

Jason swallowed thickly and instead studied Shoma. The Prince had larger bags under his eyes than normal and, since the wedding had been announced, it was like someone had muffled Shoma’s real personality and had replaced him with someone much more subdued. His hair was more unruly than normal and he fiddled with his hands with a small sigh.

“What do you suppose King Javier will be like?”

“Oh!” Jason shook himself out of his daydream, meeting Shoma’s eyes with a small smile. “Oh, I’m sure he’ll be… Suitable.”

“Well, I know it’s the right thing to marry him, but sometimes I wish…” Shoma stepped towards Jason before he shook his head, turning away to look back over the kingdom and the gardens. “Well….”

Jason placed a hand gently on Shoma’s shoulder and tried to lighten him up. “Apparently he’s a lover of music. He plays three different instruments: the violin, the trumpet, and the piano.”

Shoma’s shoulders sagged and Jason chewed his own lip thinking. “Shoma?” The prince turned to him with an unguarded expression, saying so much more about Shoma’s nerves and apprehension about the marriage than Jason could ever hope to put into words. “You’re going to need your cape.”

“I am?” The Prince looked at him, confused but a small smile slowly blossomed on his face. “Why?”

Jason just helped Shoma slip out of the palace and into one of the carriages before he muttered something quietly to the driver of the carriage. Shoma didn’t bother to ask; he just relaxed into his seat and looked out of the window with his hood firmly up as they entered the middle of the kingdom. The carriage stopped and Jason got out, offering Shoma a hand.

“There’s nothing quite like fresh air and a change of scenery.” Jason said and the prince chuckled a little, taking his hand as he climbed out.

“I wish it was that simple,” he chuckled. “Come on Rika.”

She mewed quietly and followed him and Jason as they walked through the narrow streets of the kingdom, surrounded by two and three storey red brick buildings on each side. The place was alive and bustling, with people bumping into them and apologising as they walked casually around the centre. Unknown to Rika, from the luggage section underneath the carriage, Sasha slipped out and followed them quietly through the streets.

Shoma took a deep breath and gave Jason the most genuine smile the tutor had seen in ages. “Ah. It feels so good to be outside the palace walls. No one knows who I am.” He turned to Jason and gestured to the buildings. “So. Which one was your house?”

“More of a room really,” Jason glanced around to check no one was following them, “we couldn’t afford a house.”

“Oh,” Shoma’s face fell and he stopped quickly. “I-I didn’t mean—”

“I know,” Jason said kindly, placing a hand on his shoulder before they both turned to look up at the red brick building they’d stopped by. “Third floor on the left. I did all my studies there.”

They kept walking, with Shoma asking questions about almost everything, and one fish vendor fell in love with Rika. Jason burst out laughing at her little kitty pout when Shoma picked her up to tell her that no, they couldn’t stay there all day and talk to the nice man who fed her lots of fish. Jason chuckled and quickly paid for something else, walking back up to Shoma and presenting him with a flower.

“A perfect example of _Rosa centifolia._ ” He smiled and Shoma gasped as he took the beautiful pink rose.

“My favourite!” Shoma smiled and elbowed Jason lightly. “But you knew that.”

“Yes, I did. And I bought one for someone else too.” He presented Rika with a rose as well and tucked it into the ribbon around her neck so that it wasn’t in her face but everyone else could see it and enjoy how cute she looked.

“Say thank you Rika!”

The cat nuzzled up against Jason’s hand, purring loudly. Shoma chuckled and they kept going through the streets.

Shoma’s stomach growled loudly at one point and he and Jason exchanged a look before they burst out laughing together. “Something around here smells delicious!”

Jason glanced around, spotting a lady selling mugs of soup. He patted Shoma’s shoulder gently and nodded.

“I will be right back.”

Shoma nodded, smiling brightly as he watched Jason go over, say something, and then make everyone around him laugh. He sighed, and Rika rubbed up against his leg softly with quiet purrs.

The sound of a hammer caught Shoma’s attention and he turned, smile dropping as he saw a father boarding up his shop. His wife and daughter stood beside it sadly, and they picked up the sack of their belongings and walked away from their old home. Shoma’s heart caught in his throat as he thought about their shop going bankrupt, and about how his marriage to Javier could help those people in the kingdom.

“… _Like a bird that flies in the morning light, or a butterfly in the spring! When your spirit rides on the winds of hope, you’ll find your wings.”_ Shoma looked up, trying to find the source of the singing.

“Let’s go and listen Rika!” He said, excitedly and he almost broke into a run towards the singing.

In the square, just around the corner from Shoma, Yuzuru was singing in his cape with the hood pulled up to hide his hair somewhat. Jun was sitting down next to him holding a metal tube, and he caught several coins tossed in his general direction. The crowd applauded Yuzuru and he started again with a bright smile.

_“And you’re always free to begin again, and you’re always free to believe. When you find a place that your heart may know—”_

“What are you doing?!”

“M-Morozov-san?!” Yuzuru gasped and the crowd turned away quickly, dispersing away from the scene emerging. Shoma lingered from where he was, just behind the singer.

Morozov glared at Yuzuru before he snatched the tube from Jun, earning a growl from the cat. He shook out the coins into his hand, holding them away from Yuzuru.

“Wait! I earned that!”

“And you owe me.” Morozov studied his face and sniggered. “Did you really think you could make a living as a singer? Get back to work boy, or there’ll be trouble.”

He turned and walked off, tossing the metal tube behind him. Yuzuru sank to his knees and picked it up miserably when someone put a coin in it for him.

“What a beautiful song.”

“Thank you,” he sighed, looking up. “My mother taught it to…. Me…” he trailed off, staring at the stranger before him. They looked so similar it was unreal. Their eyes were so similar, and the only real difference Yuzuru could see was that he was a little taller than the other. They both lowered their hoods, staring at each other. Rika and Jun studied each other too curiously, purring quietly at each other.

“Woah…” Yuzuru whispered. It was like looking at a similar looking, slightly shorter version of himself with curly brown hair instead of black. “We could be brothers.”

“What’s your name?” They both said together and Yuzuru chuckled, shaking his head.

“You first.”

“Call me Shoma,” he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Shoma? You have the same name as the Prince then!”

“Well…” Shoma smiled a little and Yuzuru’s eyes widened. He quickly bowed to him.

“I’m Yuzuru, Your Highness.” He stood upright and tilted his head at the royal. “Aren’t you supposed to be inside the castle?”

“I’m savouring a first and last taste of freedom before getting married next week.” He pushed some of his curls out of his eyes, sighing. “To a total stranger.”

“At least you’re not an indentured servant.” Yuzuru muttered more to himself. Shoma spun around, looking at him in shock.

“Indentured servant?”

Yuzuru nodded sadly, and sighed. _“If I’d like to have my breakfast hot, Morozov will make me pay. And I have to fetch the eggs myself, and the barn’s a mile away! It’s cold and wet, and still I get, an omelette on my plate. But, in my head, I’m back in bed, snuggled up and sleeping late.”_

“Really?” Shoma asked.

“Really. But it’s alright. I mean, I’m used to it. And you?”

“Well…”

“Well?”

Shoma sighed, shaking his head. _“If I want some eggs, I ring the bell, and the maid comes running in. And she serves them on a silver tray, and she brings the cookie tin! And while I eat, she rubs my feet, and strolling minstrels play. But I’d rather be in my library reading science books all day!”_

Yuzuru circled Shoma before he nodded, smiling. _“I’m just like you!”_

“You are?”

_“You’re just like me! There’s somewhere else we’d rather be! Somewhere that’s ours! Somewhere that dreams come true. Yes, I am a guy like you! You’d never think that it was so, but now I’ve met you and I know, it’s plain as day! Sure as the sky is blue, that I am a guy like you!”_

Shoma studied Yuzuru and chuckled. “So! You’re a singer!”

“Mm, no,” Yuzuru sighed, “I work at Morozov’s penitentiary. Uh, I mean, tailor shop.”

“I love Morozov’s suits and royal gowns!”

Yuzuru studied him before he laughed, covering his mouth. “I made the one you’re wearing!”

“You made this?!” Shoma gasped, looking down at the design. “It’s my favourite! It’s one of the only ones Mother bought in my size, because she bought bigger ones in the hope that I would grow. Plus the design looks so complicated.”

“Oh, but it isn’t really.” Yuzuru said gently. _“First I choose the fabric from the rack and I pin the pattern down. And I stitch it in the front and back, and it turns into a gown!”_

_“I wear the gown without my crown and dance around in my room,”_ Shoma answered, dancing around Yuzuru in the square, _“And imagine life without the strife of an unfamiliar groom.”_

“But I’d never let my mother know. I wouldn’t want to disappoint her.”

“I completely understand.” Yuzuru said softly, resting a hand on the Prince’s shoulder. Shoma smiled and him and laughed.

_“I’m just like you!”_

_“I think that’s true!”_

_“You’re just like me!”_

_“Yes I can see!”_

_“We take responsibility!”_ They sang together.

_“We carry through, do what we need to do. Yes, I am a guy like you!”_

_“I’m just like you!”_ Shoma started and Yuzuru followed him like a round.

_“I’m just like you.”_

_“You’re just like me.”_

_“You’re just like me.”_

_“It’s something anyone can see!”_ They both sang together. Rika and Jun sat safely away from them on the steps, exchanging a look as their humans danced around together.

_“A heart that beats,”_ Shoma started again.

“ _A heart that beats.”_

_“A voice that speaks the truth,”_ they sat down together, smiling, _“Yes, I am a guy like you!”_

“It’s amazing, except for our hair,” Yuzuru ran a hand through his and Shoma nodded.

“We could be twins.” He agreed. The both laughed, raising their hoods to cover up their main difference.

“What about this birthmark?” Shoma asked, pushing down the shoulder of his shirt to reveal a small crown shaped birth mark on his right shoulder. Yuzuru pushed his down, revealing only smooth skin.

“Hm… No. I guess not.”

“Here you are Your Highness.” Both Yuzuru and Shoma turned to see Jason. The poor young man dropped both of the wooden bowls of soup he was carrying, which Jun was perfectly happy to help clean up. Yuzuru and Shoma both chuckled.

“It’s… It’s uncanny.” Jason said as he looked between the two of them.

Sasha snarled from the shadows, hyper focused on Rika, and she barked loudly, shocking everyone. Rika shot off away from her and she ran past the three men, barking loudly.

“Rika!” Shoma shouted, starting after her. Yuzuru’s cat barked as well and ran after the dog and the other cat.

“Jun!”

Rika ran for her life, darting around people and through people’s legs. She nearly tripped up a baker carrying a pie as she dashed between his legs, running away from Sasha. The dog had no remorse and barrelled into people, knocking the baker face first into his pie. Jun then jumped on the poor baker’s head to get a better vantage point before he jumped onto a cart and followed Rika and Sasha’s chase from the rooftops. Rika mewed quietly as she rounded a corner, hitting a dead end. She pulled herself up onto the wall, but froze when she saw the drop off the mountains on the other side. She dropped herself back down on the other side, taking a deep breath.

“Look who’s a long way from the palace,” Sasha drawled, smirking at the black kitten. She swallowed and backed away from the poodle.

“Don’t get any ideas Sasha.” She showed her claws. “I don’t get these nails filed for nothing!”

“I’ll take my chances.” Rika’s ears dropped at Sasha’s retort and she backed away quicker. The dog growled at her, when a black and white cat jumped in between them.

“I’m warning you! Leave her alone!”

The poodle raised an eyebrow at Jun. “Huh. Or you’ll do what? Spit a hairball at me?”

Jun barked and growled at him. Sasha stumbled back in surprised, and Rika smirked to herself. While Sasha was distracted, Rika knocked a bowl of fishbones onto Sasha’s head. The poor poodle had no idea where she was going as she ran away from the two cats, back to the main part of the town.

“What a bark you have there, Rover.” Rika commented as she lightly jumped down from the barrel. Jun smiled at her.

“It’s uh… It’s Jun Hwan, not Rover. Most people call me Jun though.”

“Well, thank you Jun, not Rover.” Rika said with a little bow. “My name is Rika Uno.”

“I haven’t seen you around here before.” Jun asked, tilting his head at her. She nodded and sighed.

“I don’t think we really run in the same circles, but I’d like to be your friend Jun. You seem wonderful.”

Jun smiled and opened his mouth to respond when he spotted Yuzuru, Shoma, and Jason running towards them.

“There you are!” Shoma picked up Rika and she mewed quietly, nuzzling his neck.

Yuzuru picked up Jun and he barked quietly, earning pets from Yuzuru and a raised eyebrow from Shoma.

“Did I just hear your cat bark?” he asked as Jason sorted out the carriage.

“He uh… He has a style all of his own.”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness, we should be getting back.”

Shoma nodded, placing Rika into the carriage. “One day you must sing for us at the palace.”

Yuzuru nearly dropped Jun. “Really?!”

“I’ll send someone for you.”

Yuzuru shrugged, setting Jun down on a barrel. “I’ll be at Morozov’s.”

“Goodbye Yuzuru,” the prince waved to him from inside the carriage. “I won’t forget.”

“Goodbye!” Yuzuru and Jun both waved as the carriage pulled away. Yuzuru scooped him up and walked back towards Morozov’s, petting the purring cat behind the ears gently. “Come on boy.”


	4. To be a prince

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few nights later, in the palace, Shoma had fallen asleep on his work book, head resting on his arms as the candles beside him burnt down slowly. Rika was asleep on her bed by Shoma’s, purring quietly in her sleep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the actual plot! It only took four chapters to get here. This chapter is a mess of Shoma not being happy, Rika and Daisuke meeting, Jason and Yuzuru teaming up, and singing. Sorry it's so long; I wasn't sure where to end it that didn't seem unfinished. Enjoy, and once again, a big thank you to ForeverDoesntExist xx

A few nights later, in the palace, Shoma had fallen asleep on his work book, head resting on his arms as the candles beside him burnt down slowly. Rika was asleep on her bed by Shoma’s, purring quietly in her sleep. A quiet squeaking caused her to raise one eye, and she set up a little as a wooden mouse on a sting wheeled past her, letting out quiet squeaks as it did.

“I may be dainty,” she stretched herself out before he eyes honed in on the mouse. “But I’m still a feline!”

She jumped from her bed, trying to catch the wooden mouse. Every time she nearly had it, it was pulled away from her. Out of Shoma’s room, around the corner, along the corridor, down the stairs. Finally, it stopped, and Rika pounced on it, scratching at the wooden toy. She let out a gasp as a wooden cage was put over her. She mewed, scratching at the wood as Alina grinned from around the corner.

“We did it! Let’s go.”

Evgenia rolled her eyes and poked Alina’s cheek affectionately. “Our job was to capture the Prince, Alina. Not his cat!”

“Right!” Alina then looked at Rika in confusion, bending down to pet the kitten’s head lightly. “What did we get the cat for then?”

“To lure the Prince out—never mind. Watch.”

Evgenia took the crate with Rika trapped underneath and, muttering a quick apology to the royal cat, she shook it. Rika squeaked and mewed loudly in distress and protest, and the sounds carried up to Shoma’s room. The prince blinked awake slowly, raising his head up to look around the room.

“Rika?” He asked. Getting no response, he sat up straighter and looked around the room. She wasn’t on his bed where she’d been when he’d last seen her.

“Rika? Where are you?”

She mewed louder and Shoma’s heart broke at the pitiful sound. He rushed out of his room, following her mews down the corridor.

“Rika! Come here girl! Come here kitty!” He rushed down the stairs, nearly tripping over his own feet as he did, before he froze, spotting his cat trapped under a crate. “Rika?”

As he leaned down to pick the box up and free her, his head and body was covered with a sack and his world turned to black.

In the middle of the forest that lingered on the outskirts of the kingdom, a log cabin was hidden.  The door of the cabin opened and Alina placed Rika outside, sighing.

“Sorry Kitty, but the boss won’t like it if you’re in here too. You’ll have to wait out here.”

Rika stuck her nose up and scratched at the locked door. “That wasn’t called for! Let me in!”

“Are you okay?” A brown horse with a wagon attached asked her, trying to look in through the boarded-up windows.

“No, I am certainly not okay!” Rika turned to face him, a pout evident on her face. “My master is inside with two hooligans! And I’ve got dirt,” she spun around in a small circle of rage. “Dirt on my bum!” She froze, remembering her manners, and sat down before the horse. “Uh… Who are you?”

“Uh, Daisuke.” The horse lowered his head to allow her to climb on.

“Nice to meet you Daisuke-san.” She said politely from on top of his head. “I’m Rika.”

“I command you to unlock this door!” Shoma snapped, tugging on it to no avail. Alina frowned at it but Evgenia stopped her going over to him.

“Remember what the boss said,” Evgenia mumbled. Shoma eventually gave up and flopped onto the bed with a sigh. Rika also sighed along with her master, looking in through the gaps in the boards.

“I can’t believe they won’t let me in there! My Prince needs me!”

“I’m sure the boss will let him out,” Daisuke said gently. Rika’s brow furrowed.

“What boss?”

“Uh…” Daisuke nodded towards the forest. Out of the darkness, Plushenko was riding on a black horse up to the cabin. Rika shrank back and hid behind Daisuke as much as possible. “That boss.” The horse clarified.

Plushenko spotted Rika and smirked as he knocked on the door. Evgenia answered it with a polite bow.

“Signed, sealed, and delivered Master Plushenko.”

“Does he know I’m behind it?”

“Not a clue.”

“Good. Keep him here until the royal wedding to King Javier is cancelled. Then we’ll see who the Prince marries.”

With a cackle, Plushenko turned and mounted his horse again, riding off towards the kingdom and the palace. Rika wrinkled her nose at him.

“Ugh. He is nasty. Just like his dog.” Daisuke sighed at her reaction and she looked up at the roof. “Think you can get me up to the roof?”

Daisuke followed her eyeline and huffed. “I don’t know. It’s pretty high up.”

“You can do this. Trust me Daisuke-san. Just count to three.” Rika settled herself comfortably on his rump.

“One,” he said aloud.

“Two,” Rika bared her claws.

“Three!” Daisuke let out an exclamation of pain and bucked hard as Rika dug her claws in. She jumped and, with the extra momentum, landed safely on the roof.

“Thank you, Daisuke-san!” She said with a grin before she turned to the chimney. “A girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do.” She told herself, before she jumped in.

Rika tumbled through ash and soot before she fell out of the fire place in Shoma’s room. The prince turned and his face lit up.

“Rika?”

The cat mewed, curling up. “I’m simply not going to look at myself,” she whispered into her paws.  

Dawn started to break over the rest of the kingdom, and Mihoko wasn’t surprised when a guard ran to her in a tizzy, exclaiming something about being late because they couldn’t find Shoma. When he didn’t come down for breakfast, however, she got worried, and, when even Jason didn’t know where he was, she went up to his room to look for him.

“Shoma? Are you here?” She asked gently, and Plushenko walked in next to her. She raised an eyebrow at him. “Have you seen Shoma? He wasn’t a breakfast.”

“Is that something on his desk, Your Majesty?” Plushenko asked, picking up an envelope. He handed it to the queen with a bow.

“A letter to me?” She turned away from him as she opened it and scanned through it. She gasped, face dropping. “It says he’s run away! So that he won’t have to marry King Javier!” She covered her face, wiping at her eyes quickly.

“That is dreadful,” Plushenko said with a little smirk as he pocketed the lumps of gold on Shoma’s desk. He turned back to Mihoko with an expression laced with worry.

“We have to find him! He could be hurt!”

“I’ll send out search parties at once, Your Majesty; I’m sure he couldn’t have gone far.”

Mihoko flopped down into Shoma’s desk chair, sighing. “Oh, Evgeni, what would I do without you?”

“This is an outrage!” Ambassador Orser fumed in the throne room. The page next to him rolled his eyes and the queen covered her face with her hand. “The most grievous insult!”

“I’m sure we’ll find him,” Mihoko reasoned. The ambassador’s eyes narrowed.

“I insist we cancel the wedding if the Prince is not returned by the end of the day.”

“It doesn’t add up,” Jason mumbled to himself from near the Queen and Plushenko. “Why would he run away?”

“Why don’t you see for yourself?” Plushenko handed him the letter. Jason held the paper up to the light and then sniffed at it.

“Lilac? Where did you find this?”

“On the Prince’s desk.”

“Perhaps I should help you look for him,” Jason said, eyes narrowing at Plushenko.

The advisor snatched the letter back and huffed. “Why don’t you stick to your books, school boy? Won’t that be fun?” Plushenko walked out with a smirk that made Jason’s skin crawl.

“Lilac? He never scented his stationary with lilac. It was always rose.” He bowed to the queen quickly before he took his leave, rushing out of the throne room as quickly as he could without being rude.

In the centre of the kingdom, Morozov smoothed the shoulders of a display suit with a smirk. The door opened and he turned, smile growing at the sight of the royal insignia on the man’s breast pocket. He bowed low.

“Welcome sir! Are you looking for a suit for a special occasion? Maybe for the Prince? I can assure you that you will find only the finest at Morozov’s tailors!”

“If I may,” Jason said politely, “I’d like to speak to one of your tailors. Mister Yuzuru.”

Morozov stared at him like he’d grown a second head before he nodded, taking Jason into the back room. “You two can talk out in front of the shop. Don’t you slack off too Miki!”

“I don’t believe it!” Yuzuru gushed once they were outside and in the street. “The Prince sent for me!”

“Oh… actually—”

“I’m going to sing at the castle! Me!”

“Uh, I came because—”

“But, I’m not ready! I have to rehearse!”

“If I could just—”

“I’d better change my suit. Fix it up a little and everything…” Yuzuru trailed off, looking up at Jason. “Wait. Isn’t that why you’re here?”

“I’m sorry, but no.” Jason looked around the area before he leaned closer to Yuzuru and whispered to him. “The Prince is missing, and I need you to help me find him.”

“Me?” Yuzuru asked, raising an eyebrow. “What can I do?”

“Pretend to be Prince Shoma.”

Yuzuru gasped before he lowered his voice, shaking his head. “Are you out of your mind?!”

“Just listen,” Jason said firmly and Yuzuru shut his mouth, “I think that the Queen’s royal advisor, Plushenko, has taken the prince off somewhere so that the royal wedding will be cancelled.”

“That’s terrible…” Yuzuru mumbled.

“If you could pretend to be the prince, just for a short while, I could trick Plushenko into revealing where he’s hiding him!”

“Pretend to be royalty?” Yuzuru shook his head. “I could get thrown in prison, or worse!”

“As can I, but…”

“He’s in real trouble, isn’t he?” Yuzuru asked, placing a hand on Jason’s shoulder. The tutor nodded and Yuzuru looked at his feet. “A guy like… Count me in.”

Yuzuru slipped back inside, scooping up Jun and his cape. Miki only raised an eyebrow at him in amusement.

“Going somewhere?” she asked. Yuzuru paused for a moment, before he shrugged.

“I’ll be back soon hopefully. I’m… Helping a friend.”

Miki chuckled. “You made a friend? Go on, off you go before he comes back and gets mad.”

“But… What if he takes it out on—”

“We’ll be fine,” she picked up her daughter carefully. “Go on. Go!”

She all but pushed him out of the shop. Yuzuru swallowed before Jason helped him into the carriage. He and Jun hid in the back with his hood pulled up over his hair, and they kept on sneaking glances out of the windows of the carriage. The tailor and the cat exchanged a look of awe as they rode up towards the palace. Once they’d stopped, Jason led them in through a secret servant entrance and they rushed up the stairs quietly. Jason led them into Shoma’s room and Yuzuru gasped.

“Would you look at the size of this place!” he breathed out in awe. Jun stuck close to his leg, looking around the bedroom that was about ten times bigger than Yuzuru’s, Miki’s, and Himawari’s shared room.

Jason stopped in front of a portrait of Shoma in the room and looked between it and Yuzuru fondly. “The likeness is remarkable.”

“Except for my hair,” Yuzuru mumbled as he pulled down his hood, revealing straight black hair instead of messy brown curls.

“I’ve thought of that.” Jason chuckled, walking off. Yuzuru undid the clasp of his cape, hanging it up alongside Shoma’s actual cape.

Jun climbed up onto the bed and started to bounce on it, letting out quiet barks as he did.

“Junnie!” Yuzuru giggled as the cat sat down firmly. “Hm…” He threw himself onto the bed, lying on his beck. Jun pressed a paw onto his cheek. “Nice. Comfy!”

“Brunette in a box!” Yuzuru sat up to see Jason holding a large box. He handed Yuzuru a brown wig from it, and he tucked his own hair in, brushing it back. When he looked up at Jason, the tutor only saw a slightly taller Shoma.

“Um, Jason, we’re missing one teeny, tiny detail.” Yuzuru huffed, blowing the loose strand of black hair out of his eyes. “I don’t know a thing about being a prince!”

“Leave that to me.” Jason placed a book down on the golden music stand in the corner of the room. Yuzuru picked up a quill pen to take notes.

“It’s all here in The Prince’s Book of Etiquette. Let’s begin. No nagging, bragging, sweating, fretting, slipping, tripping, slurping, burping, twittering, or frittering allowed! Stay pleasant, stay present, stay proud.” Yuzuru hurriedly took notes on everything Jason was saying. The tutor sighed and then smiled, changing his tactic.

_“To be a Prince, you must know which spoon to use,”_ he handed Yuzuru a spoon from the multitude still laid out from the breakfast Shoma never had. _“To be a prince is a thousand pairs of shoes!”_ Yuzuru nearly fell over at the sight of the cupboard full of shoes. He had two pairs in his room back at Morozov’s. _“To maintain a regal gait, leave the parsley on your plate, and be charming, but detached and yet amused.”_ Jason changed Yuzuru’s old shoes for a pair of Shoma’s that fit him perfectly. The tutor circled the other man before he smiled, taking his hand. _“To be a prince is to never be confused!”_ He pulled Yuzuru away from the cupboards, more to the centre of the room. “Shoma was never good at that bit though.”

“I see?” Yuzuru said with a chuckle. Jason stopped and they faced each other.

_“Do a plie and never fall!”_ Yuzuru tried to copy Jason and the tutor had to pull him back so that he didn’t slip over backwards. _“Don’t ever stray from protocol.”_ He held out an arm and Yuzuru looped his with Jason’s. _“All through the day there’s just one way you must behave. Do keep a grip and never crack. Stiff upper lip and arch the back. Bend from above and always wear your gloves and wave!”_

They stopped once more and Yuzuru watched Jason carefully, copying all of his movements. _“Shoulders back, and tummy in, and pinky out, and lift the chin, and slowly turn your head from side to side.”_

_“I see now!”_ Yuzuru smiled brightly.

_“Breathing gently, stepping lightly, smile brightly, nod politely.”_ Jason took Yuzuru’s hands and spun him around, much to the amusement of the other. _“Never show a thing you feel inside! Glide!”_ He pushed Yuzuru across the room into the open cupboard of clothes. The door shut for a moment before Yuzuru emerged in a much nicer quality suit than his own. It fitted pretty much perfectly.

_“To be a Prince is to always look your best. To be a prince is to never get to rest. Sit for a portrait, never squirm! Sleep on a mattress extra firm.”_ Jason took Yuzuru’s arm again and Jun bounced along behind them happily. _“Speak and be clever, never at a loss for words. Bow low for every Count and Lord! Learn how to play the harpsichord. Sing lullabies and always harmonise in thirds.”_

Yuzuru joined in, harmonising how Jason had told him to. _“Thirds! Thirds!”_

_“And,”_ Jason continued, smiling at portrait of Shoma holding Rika. _“He has beautiful eyes. Your spirits rise when he walks in the room.”_

“I see,” Yuzuru said with a little chuckle.

_“Doors close, and the chemistry grows. He’s like a rose that’s forever in bloom!”_ Jason shook his head, cheeks a little pink, and he turned back to Yuzuru. The two started dancing together, and Yuzuru couldn’t hold in his smiles.

_“Do a plie, and don’t—”_

_“Ever ever ever fall!”_

_“Never show dismay,”_ Jason placed the book on Yuzuru’s head, balancing it.

_“And be there when people call!”_

_“Be prepared whatever royal life will bring. Do keep a grip, and don’t—”_

_“Ever ever ever crack!”_ Jason took the book off Yuzuru’s head with a smile.

_“Take a dainty sip.”_

_“Never ever turn your back!”_

_“There’s a time and place and way for everything.”_ Jason picked up Shoma’s crown from the pillow it was sitting on. He placed it carefully on Yuzuru’s head.

_“To be a prince is to never make your bed. To be a prince is to always use your head!”_

A loud crash caught Jason’s attention and he saw Yuzuru lying on the floor, chuckling a little. The wig and crown had both fallen off after he’d slipped over trying to do a spin. Jason helped him up before he checked the time. With a gasp, he secured the crown and the wig before he grabbed Yuzuru’s hand, pulling him downstairs.

“It is official then,” Brian snapped shut his pocket watch. “Due to the disappearance of the Prince, the wedding to King Javier is cancelled.”

Mihoko covered her face with her hands, sighing with a heavy heart, and Plushenko smirked from next to her. The page from by Brian raised an eyebrow at the advisor. The double doors to the throne room were thrown open, and Jason stood in the doorway.

“Your Majesty, wait!”

The whole throne room turned to look at him and he cleared his throat. “May I, uh, present Prince Shoma.”

“Darling?” Mihoko stood up, eyes lighting up as Shoma walked through the doorway. Plushenko’s eyes widened in shock and he gasped.

Yuzuru was terrified. Jun lingered by the doorway instead and Yuzuru walked slowly into the room, feeling the weight of everyone’s stares. He started to feel a little more confident when he caught the page’s eyes and the other man smiled at him. Yuzuru took a confident step towards the Queen.

And promptly slipped over.

Plushenko let out a little snort of laughter and the page rushed over to help him up. Yuzuru stood up quickly, resisting the urge to touch the wig or the crown, and smiled brightly. Mihoko didn’t care; she ran over to Yuzuru and hugged him.

“Shoma! You’re back! And you’ve finally hit your last growth spurt! See? Buying those clothes wasn’t a waste of time! Where have you been?”

Jason stole her glasses from the cushion she’d left them on quickly, tucking them into his breast pocket.

“I’m sorry,” Yuzuru said calmly, smiling at the Queen. “I should not have run away.”

Plushenko’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“Promise me you’ll never do it again,” Mihoko mumbled, rubbing his back gently.

“I still think we should cancel the wedding,” Brian mumbled, shaking his head. The page cleared his throat, glaring at the ambassador. “Ah, but an agreement is an agreement! The wedding is back on, and King Javier is due… uh… tomorrow!”

“T-tomorrow?” Yuzuru asked, eyes widening in fear.

“And then only a few short days before the wedding!” Mihoko said excitedly. She looked around then with a little frown. “Has anyone seen my spectacles?”

“If you’ll excuse me,” Plushenko said, lip curling in disgust. “I must be off to see to the… Arrangements.”

As he neared the door, Jun jumped out and growled at him. Plushenko wrinkled his nose at the cat, kicking him aside.

“Who let this mangey beast in here?”

“Everything alright Plushenko?” Jason asked with an innocent smile. The advisor took a deep breath.

“It soon will be.”

The advisor kept walking, and a small piece of pine dropped off the bottom of one of his shoes. Jun sniffed around the floor before he stopped, looking up at Jason. The tutor knelt down by the cat, rubbing his ears softly.

“What have you got there, boy?” Jason picked it up and smelt the plant, brow furrowing. “From a silver fir tree? What’s Plushenko doing in the Western Forest?”

The tutor made to follow the advisor, with Jun trotting along beside him happily.

“Jason, wait!” The Queen called out to him. “I want to hear all about how you found Shoma!”

Yuzuru swallowed thickly, lowering his eyes, and Jason bowed to her with a smile. “Of course, Your Majesty.”


	5. But, I am the prince!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the cabin in the wood, Evgenia and Alina were playing cards together. Alina wrinkled her nose at Evgenia with a frown.
> 
> “Hey! I happen to know you’ve got a five of hearts!”
> 
> In his room, Shoma and Rika nodded to each other as the prince picked up a sheet.
> 
> “What do you mean you know?” Evgenia asked, raising an eyebrow.
> 
> “I saw it!”
> 
> “You mean you cheated?” Evgenia asked with an affectionate chuckle.
> 
> “Yeah!” Alina grinned, then she paused. “Wait… I mean no!”
> 
> “Help!” Shoma shouted from his room. “Help! Please, help me!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter of the day! Sorry this chapter is shorter; I tried my best with it. This is a Shoma chapter, so you get to see more of him (yay!). No singing in this chapter, but I hope you like it anyway xxx

In the cabin in the wood, Evgenia and Alina were playing cards together. Alina wrinkled her nose at Evgenia with a frown.

“Hey! I happen to know you’ve got a five of hearts!”

In his room, Shoma and Rika nodded to each other as the prince picked up a sheet.

“What do you mean you know?” Evgenia asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I saw it!”

“You mean you cheated?” Evgenia asked with an affectionate chuckle.

“Yeah!” Alina grinned, then she paused. “Wait… I mean no!”

“Help!” Shoma shouted from his room. “Help! Please, help me!”

“Yes, Your Highness?” Alina asked, caring side coming out.

“What is it?” Evgenia asked, standing up.

“Hurry!” Shoma said in a panicky voice.

Alina and Evgenia exchanged a look as Evgenia unlocked the door and they spilt into the room. Looking around, Alina let out a shriek at something white hovering above one of the beams on the ceiling.

“Get it!” Shoma shouted. “Quickly!”

“You’re older!” Alina shouted, pushing Evgenia towards it. “You get it!”

“Hey!” Evgenia shook her head, pouting. “Come on, we should both do it!”

The white _thing_ descended from the ceiling, covering them both up in the sheet. Rika slipped out from under it and she and Shoma dashed out of the room.

“Well done Rika!” Shoma whispered as they slipped out of the cabin. Shoma climbed into the cart attached to Daisuke, and, as Rika jumped in next to him, he picked up the reins. “Go, go go!”

Daisuke set off towards the kingdom as Evgenia and Alina rushed out of the cabin. Evgenia’s face fell as they watched the carriage and the Prince speed off into the forest.

“Have a safe journey!” Alina shouted, waving after them. Evgenia sighed and smiled at Alina sadly.

“Let me in,” Plushenko knocked hard on the door with a frown of steel on his face, “You idiots, let me in!”

“A-ah, your Bossness,” Evgenia gave a very nervous chuckle, barely opening the door. “Everything is fine! Fine, fine fine fine, just fine! U-uh, see you soon!”

She tried to pull the door shut, but Plushenko put his foot in the way, forcing himself into the room. Evgenia flinched back, watching his every move.

“How did he escape?” Plushenko asked, dangerously quiet.

“Who?” Evgenia asked, fiddling with her hands.

“Who?” Plushenko turned to her, shaking his head. “Who? The prince! You moron idiot!”

“T-the Prince is here! Sleeping! U-uh… Aren’t you sleeping Prince Shoma?”

Plushenko facepalmed, especially when a voice that was clearly Alina’s came from the room that used to contain Shoma.

“Y-yes! I’m sleeping!”

“See Boss? You don’t want to wake him up do you? He’s a royal!”

“He’s a royal alright,” Plushenko stepped over to the door, shaking his head at Evgenia, “a royal pain in the behind!” He shoved open the door.

Alina had messed up her hair and was tucked up under the covers completely so that only her hair was showing. It was definitely not convincing.

“Who interrupts my slipper?” Alina mumbled.

“Slumber!” Evgenia hissed.

“Slumber! Right! I knew that!”

“Get out of that bed!” Plushenko pulled the cover away and Alina let out a shriek. Evgenia once again put herself between them quickly. “I can imagine how the Prince escaped you two,” he frowned, rubbing his chin, “but why didn’t he tell the Queen he’d been captured? Hm… Something’s odd. I must solve this prince puzzle if I am to be king.”

“King?” Jason whispered to himself as he leaned on one of the boards over the window. “Plushenko, King?” The board slipped and his eyes widened. He stepped back quickly, mouth suddenly dry, and his heart pounded.

“Looking for something Jason?” Jason turned to see Plushenko standing at one end of the building. He narrowed his eyes, frowning.

“How can you be King?” He asked before he was plunged into darkness by Evgenia and Alina covering him a sack.

“You’re the tutor,” Plushenko chuckled. “You’re the one who’s supposed to know all the answers.”

Shoma had found a blanket underneath the seats and had pulled it around himself and Rika as they rode into the kingdom, towards the palace. He shivered a little and kissed the top of her head gently as Daisuke trudged up the hill.

“Who goes there?” one of the guards at entrance asked, holding his spear firmly. Shoma smiled, relaxing slightly. He was so very looking forwards to flopping into bed and not emerging for a full day.

“Prince Shoma.” He replied firmly, petting Rika’s ears lightly.

The guard just laughed. “If you’re the Prince, then I’m the king.”

Shoma’s face fell. “B-but… I am the Prince!”

“Really.” The guard replied, unimpressed. “Then how come I just saw the prince eating dinner with the Queen?”

“What? What Prince?” Shoma whispered, looking at Rika in confusion. She mewed quietly, nuzzling against his chest for more warmth.

“Now move along before I lose my temper.” The guard snapped, very much tired. Shoma’s frown hardened and he glared at the guard.

“You are speaking to Prince Shoma! Let me through—”

“I said move along!” The guard pointed his spear at Shoma with a firm glare back. “Now! Don’t make me ask you again!”

Shoma gasped and nodded slowly; Daisuke trudged back down the hill away from the palace. Shoma looked back over his shoulder and chewed his lip, shaking his head as he cradled Rika closer to his chest.

“Oh Rika… What should I do?”

Rika tugged on his sleeve gently and Shoma raised an eyebrow at her in confusion.

“What are you doing Rika?”

She rolled her eyes and tried again, tugging at his suit as obviously as she could. Shoma followed her actions with his eyes, getting more and more confused. Eventually, she stuck her nose into his pocket and pulled out the label that had been forgotten in it for months.

“Master Morozov’s Tailors?” Shoma read allowed before he gasped, picking Rika up and giving her a kiss. “You wonderful intelligent kitty! Oh, you smart girl! Of course! Yuzuru will help me!”

Daisuke raised an ear at them and Shoma picked up the reins, helping to guide him. He remembered the way he and Jason had come together, and how much fun he’d had that day, how wonderful it was, how handsome Jason looked…

Before Shoma knew it, they were stopped outside the tailor shop. Shoma smiled and patted Daisuke’s back gently as he climbed out with Rika in his arms. He set her down, bowing his head to Daisuke the horse, before he raised a hand to knock on the door. Before he could, it opened and Morozov’s smile dropped instantly.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“I beg your pardon?” Shoma asked, holding the blanket tighter around himself. Morozov grabbed his wrist.

“Not another word. You’re coming with me! Now!”

Shoma struggled against his grip, digging his heels in, but it didn’t work. Morozov tugged him along regardless, and he stumbled as he tried to keep up with him. Rika ran along behind him, trying to stay with her human. Morozov shoved open the door to the shop and brought Shoma into a back room. The force of the door opening blew out the candle and Miki looked up from the dress she was sewing, sighing.

“Not done yet?” Morozov asked, rolling his eyes. “If you weren’t such a lazy bitch, those dresses would be finished by now.”

“How dare you speak to her that way?” Shoma said, dangerously quiet as his eyes burned with fury. The tailor turned and looked at the prince in shock.

“How dare I? How dare I?! Just who do you think you are?!”

Shoma dropped the blanket and stood as tall as he could, raising his chin. “Prince Shoma!”

Morozov smirked before he then sniggered. He burst out laughing, waking up Himawari in the corner. “That’s a hoot! You’ve got to change a lot more than your hair to look like the Prince! Why, me and the Prince are close personal friends.”

“Oh really?” Shoma asked, eyes narrowing.

“Now shut up,” Morozov waved a hand at him. “Get back to work.”

“I’m warning you, if you’re going to treat your seamstresses and tailors this way, we’ll take our royal business elsewhere.”

“You’re warning me?” Morozov glared at him, kicking Rika out of the way. She let out a squeak as she rushed out of the way, jumping up to sit next to Himwari. “We’ll see your attitude change by morning. You’re not coming out until every dress and suit is finished, Yuzuru.”

“Yuzuru?” Shoma ran over to the door, trying to pull it open before he leaned his head against it with a defeated sigh. “Locked in again!”

“Yuzuru?” Shoma turned to the other woman in the shop who was relighting the candles and shushing her baby gently. “That is you, isn’t it?”

Shoma sighed and sat down, face in his hands. “Sorry Ma’am, but it isn’t. I’m Shoma, Prince Shoma, and I think I’m in a mess.”

Miki chuckled and made him some tea before she set down her now sleeping baby. “Tell me about it, Your Highness. I think Yuzuru is mixed up in your mess somehow too now.”

“I just want to go home,” Shoma mumbled into his arms, and Miki rubbed his back gently.

“It’s alright Your Highness. There’s got to be a way.”

Shoma sat up and smiled brightly at her. “Of course! Of course, of course, I’ve got it! I can’t get into the palace, but someone else can!”

“Who?” Miki asked, following his gaze to where Rika was curled up.

Shoma pulled off his ring and picked up a section of ribbon. He pulled out the roll of labels and smiled to himself.

“Made exclusively by Morozov’s Tailors,” Shoma chuckled as he cut one off and slipped it through the ring attached to the ribbon.

“If Jun can slip in and out, I’m sure your pretty little Rika can do it too.” Miki said, stroking her head. She mewed quietly and nuzzled up against her hand. Shoma tied the ribbon around her neck carefully.

“It’s up to you now Rika. Take this to the palace. When somebody reads the label, it will lead them here!”

Rika stepped out of the window carefully, sitting on the window ledge. The sheer drop down the side of the mountains made her tiny heart flutter, and she swallowed down her fear, sticking close to the side of the building as she made her way down to the street. She ran up the stairs towards in the street in the direction of the palace, shrinking back at the strange sounds of the town centre at night. A bark caused her to jump three feet in the air and she dashed under a parked carriage, curling up.

“This is going to be a long night…”


	6. If you love me for me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dawn broke over the kingdom and Yuzuru blinked awake sleepily. He sat up and gasped when he looked around, enjoying the soft duvet and the warmth it provided as well as the comfortable bed. He looked around the large room and stretched his arms with a little yawn.
> 
> “I thought I was dreaming,” he mumbled to himself with a little smile, “but I’m not!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is very focused around Yuzuru and Javier and includes them singing a very lovely duet together. I've put a / in between the bits that they sing together with different words; Yuzuru's are on the right, Javier's are on the left. This chapter also contains my favourite song: the one Yuzuru sings to Jun. On the note of Jun, his colouring as a cat is similar to his Il Postino costume just as an extra note.
> 
> Enjoy the chapter xx

Dawn broke over the kingdom and Yuzuru blinked awake sleepily. He sat up and gasped when he looked around, enjoying the soft duvet and the warmth it provided as well as the comfortable bed. He looked around the large room and stretched his arms with a little yawn.

“I thought I was dreaming,” he mumbled to himself with a little smile, “but I’m not!”

Jun, on the cat bed next to his actual bed, stretched himself out too with a little yawn. Someone knocked on the door and Jun instantly started barking.

“Shhh! Junnie!” the cat shut up and looked at Yuzuru who giggled a little. “We’ve got to, you know, act like we live here! We can’t give ourselves away!”

Jun sat down nicely and nodded to Yuzuru, who adjusted his wig and sat up, hands folded and placed just so in his lap.

“Come in,” he said calmly. A maid came in carrying a tray of food.

“Did I hear a dog, Your Highness? Should I call the Royal Dog Catcher?” She asked. Yuzuru just chuckled politely.

“No, there’s no dog. Everything is fine.”

“Your breakfast, Your Highness.”

“Really?” Yuzuru’s eyes widened and he grinned brightly. “In bed?!”

“As always?” She said, smiling slightly. “You do forget things when you’re sleepy, Your Highness.”

“Right, yes, of course. Thank you.” Yuzuru smiled before he looked down at the tray, eyes widening. There was so much! A bowl of rice was in the centre, and then there was miso soup, grilled fish, and nori seaweed too, not to mention natto, a sweetened omelette, and several slices of Shokupan toast. “Look at all this food! Want some?”

“I… I couldn’t, Your Highness!”

“But there’s enough to feed an army!” Yuzuru handed her some of the toast. “Please, take some!”

“I… Uh… Thank you Sir. I’ll uh… I’ll draw you a bath! Would you like bubbles, mineral salts, or lavender oil?”

Yuzuru laughed, forgetting that he was meant to be the prince who lived this life daily. “Everything!” he said with a bright grin before he tucked into the breakfast. Jun perked up when another tray full of cuts of fish was delivered specifically for him.

“You’re going to just tell him that you disguised yourself as a page?” Brian asked in the main entrance hall of the palace. Javier took off his hat and sighed. “Are you sure that’s wise Javi?”

“No, I’m not sure. But I have to be honest. I think he’ll understand. I didn’t want to marry a stranger any more than he did.”

The king handed the ambassador his page hat and sighed, steeling his nerves as he walked up towards Shoma’s room.

“Ahh,” Yuzuru sighed as he lay back in the bath, wig off to keep it dry. He kept his head above the bubbles to keep his own hair dry, and he closed his eyes, leaning against the towel placed over the end of the bath for him to rest his head on. “I may never come out.”

“Me—” Yuzuru cracked open one eye to look at Jun perched on the stool next to the bath.

“What’s wrong Junnie? Are you sick? Something in your throat?”

Jun shook his head before he made that pathetic noise again. Yuzuru sat up straighter, opening both eyes.

“Wait a minute. Are you trying to meow?”

Jun nodded. “Me-Woof!” He hung his head sadly and Yuzuru chuckled lightly.

“Aww fella…” Yuzuru sighed, leaning on the edge of the tub.

_“I can see it when you’re feeling low, you can’t hide that from me. You’re no status quo calico, so why keep trying to be? Cause you’re more than that! You’re a doggish cat! I wish you could see the you I see.”_ Jun jumped down from the stool and sat next to the tub.

“Me—”

“Hm… No. _I say, if you bark, celebrate it!”_ Yuzuru threw handfuls of bubbles into the air, and Jun laughed, jumping up to try and pop them. _“Make your mark, serenade it! Noah’s ark should’ve had a cat like you!”_ he reached out of the tub to poke Jun’s nose lightly. The cat tilted his head at Yuzuru and he continued singing, throwing more bubbles into the air. _“And, if what you are is a strange you, doesn’t mean you should change you, only means you should change your point of view!”_

“Prince Shoma?” Javier knocked on the door, opening it a little. He didn’t look in; he only listened.

Yuzuru had wrapped himself up in a fluffy dressing gown and had picked up a golden hairbrush. He tossed it to Jun with a smile. The cat caught it easily like when they played fetch together. _“Hey feline, you fetch just fine! To thine own self, be true. Your bow wow’s the cat’s meow, it’s how I know you’re you!”_ he picked up Jun and spun around with him, giggling a little.

_“You don’t need the bows or tiara, bid your woes sayonara! Trust your nose, cause it knows the way to go! When you chase your tail, you’re enchanting, spirits sail when you’re panting_.” Yuzuru knelt down next to him. _“When you wail, you’re a rover Romeo!”_

Jun tilted his head at Yuzuru and the other couldn’t help but sigh. _“There is not one hair of you that I would rearrange. I love you the way you are, and that will never change! That will never change.”_ He kissed Jun’s nose, eliciting a small bark from the cat. “That’s my boy.”

Javier sighed with a dreamy smile from the doorway and shut the door behind him, giving the two some privacy once more.

Back in the tailor’s shop, still locked in the backroom, Shoma stood up, holding up a suit with one arm much shorter than the other. “There! This one’s finished! Uh….” He spotted his mistake and sighed. “Sort of…”

“Please Your Highness, you don’t have to do this.” Miki reasoned as she continued to sew complicated designs into the fabric. Shoma shook his head, picking up Yuzuru’s needles.

“I can’t let you do this all by yourself!” He started again, determined. Miki smiled at him and sighed a little.

In the palace, Yuzuru had dressed in another of Shoma’s suits and adjusted the wig to hide all of his hair. He placed the crown on top in front of the mirror and tried to swallow down his nerves. He paced in front of Jun, radiating an aura of nerves.

“How am I going to do this? Everyone will know I’m a fake. They’ll throw me in the dungeon in two seconds flat. Oh, Jason, where are you? Why aren’t you here?”

The door opened and Yuzuru relaxed, prepared to see Jason. Jason would have given him a hug, checked to see if he was okay, and would have helped him to be relaxed around the king. Instead of Jason, however, it was the advisor from the day before that had come into Shoma’s room instead.

“Your most beautiful Highness,” he gushed, and Yuzuru wrinkled his nose slightly at the man. Jun jumped in between them and growled at him. “What’s this stupid cat doing here?”

“He belongs to me.” Yuzuru said firmly and the other man looked very taken aback.

“Oh! He’s yours, is he? Well, a thousand apologies to you sir. He’s such a… canine feline.” Jun growled at him more. “What happened to the other one?”

Yuzuru’s eyes grew wide in panic and he swallowed thickly. He hadn’t seen Rika the whole time he’d been at the palace. Where was she?

“S-she’s around here, somewhere.” He brushed off Plushenko’s comment with a nervous laugh.

“I see. So rare that you’re apart.” Plushenko commented and Yuzuru’s eyes widened more in panic. “The Queen sent me to escort you to meet King Javier.”

“U-uh… Um… T-thank you,” Yuzuru stuttered, taking Plushenko’s arm. The advisor pulled him away quickly and Yuzuru struggled to keep up with him. Jun dashed after them; his dislike for Plushenko grew every second.

“I appreciate your understanding, Your Majesty,” Javier said as he bowed to Mihoko. She smiled at him brightly and nodded.

“Likewise, King Javier. I apologise for my son’s little delay in the wedding plans, but it’s all sorted out now.”

The double doors to the throne room opened and Yuzuru fiddled with his fingers as Plushenko stepped in before him. “May I announce, Prince Shoma.”

“Hello darling!” Mihoko called out and Yuzuru stepped in with Jun by his side. “Come come! I want to introduce you to King Javier. He has something he wants to tell you! Ugh, where are my spectacles?”

Yuzuru looked up from his feet and his breath caught in his throat. The page from the day before was standing before him with a golden crown resting atop his brown curls. Unlike the day before, he’d shaved his slight stubble and had a clear and smooth jawline. But his eyes were what made Yuzuru’s heart flutter; they were large and brown, bright and full of happiness, and were a little crinkled at the corners as he smiled. The King blinked at him and started walking towards him, meeting him halfway across the room. In such close proximity, Yuzuru’s brain stopped working.

The king bowed to him. “I’m… I’m honoured,” he said softly, breath catching as if he didn’t really know what to say.

“U-uh… Um…” Yuzuru cleared his throat, bowing low to try and hide his blushing face. “T-the honour’s mine, King Javier.” He butchered the pronunciation and cringed slightly.

“Please, just call me Javier. Or Javi if it’s easier.”

“Oh,” Yuzuru sighed dreamily, “call me Yuz—I mean Shoma! Prince Shoma!” He chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. “T-that’s… that’s my name…”

A small bark from by Yuzuru’s feet helped to diffuse the tension between them, and both Yuzuru and Javier looked down to see Jun waving at the king. He tried to meow like a normal cat, but he barked a couple more times. Javier laughed, leaning down, as Yuzuru spotted a stray lock of black hair that had escaped the wig.

“I hope his bark is bigger than his bite.” Javier chuckled, and Jun nuzzled against Javier’s hand gently, not wanting him to stand up.

“He likes you,” Yuzuru said, nerves clearly seeping into his tone of voice. Javier stepped back and sighed.

“I suppose you’re wondering why I disguised myself as a page. I… I wanted to meet you without all this… this ceremony. To get to know the real you.”

Yuzuru’s heart dropped but he smiled anyway. “The real me…”

“King Javier,” Mihoko cut in, walking across the room to a white piano. “Would you do us the honour of playing the piano? I know you love music.”

“You do?” Yuzuru asked, eyes widening.

Javier smiled at Yuzuru and nodded. “I will, but only if the prince agrees to sing with me.”

“S-sing with you?! O-oh… No, no, I couldn’t…”

Javier took his hand carefully and led him over to the piano. “Something tells me you have a wonderful voice.”

Javier sat down on the stool, running his hands idly along the ivory keys before he tilted his head at Yuzuru. He played four chords and a broken chord before he waited, giving Yuzuru time to come in if he wanted. Yuzuru bit his lip and let some of the hair on the front of the wig fall across his eyes.

“Sing Shoma, sing!” Mihoko said from where she was stood next to Brian and Plushenko. Javier raised an eyebrow and Yuzuru blushed.

Javier played the same notes, and this time Yuzuru started to sing. _“Once a guy met a lad, you’re a gentle one said he. In my heart, I’d be glad, if you loved me for me. You say your love is true, and I hope that it will be.”_

Brian and Mihoko exchanged a knowing look. Plushenko, next to them, looked ready to vomit.

Javier joined in with the singing and took Yuzuru’s hand again as they went out into the gardens together. _“I’d be sure if I knew that you loved me for me.”_

_“Could I be the one you’re seeking? Will I be the one you choose? Can you tell my heart is speaking? My eyes will give you clues.”_ Yuzuru and Javier walked around the undercover area of the palace that led out into the gardens. Javier held Yuzuru’s hand gently and the Japanese man blushed the whole time. He looked up and caught Javier’s eyes for a moment, and he couldn’t help but smile at the love in them.

_“What you see may be deceiving, truth lies underneath the skin.”_ Javier led Yuzuru over to the rows of pink rose bushes. He scanned them before he spotted a single blue rose growing. He picked it for the prince and offered it to him with a light bow. Yuzuru laughed a little.

_“Hope will blossom by believing!”_

_“A heart that lies within.”_ They sang together, holding hands. Watching the, from one of the balconies was Plushenko, wearing a deep frown.

_“I’ll be yours! Together, we shall always be as one, if you love me for me.”_ Javier threw the stick across the lawn for Jun, who bounced over happily to get it. He dropped it by Javier’s feet and nuzzled up against the King’s hand, purring.

The two walked together, holding hands, and, at one point, Yuzuru leaned his head on Javier’s shoulder. The king slipped an arm around Yuzuru’s waist and they sang together as they walked past the seemingly endless flowerbeds in the gardens.

_“I’ll be yours!”/ “Who can say where we’ll go,”_

_“Together, we shall always” / “Who can promise that we’ll be?”_

_“Be as one.” / “But I’ll stay by your side.”_

_“If you love me for me,”_ they both sang together, holding hands as they sat on a balcony, looking out at the sunset over the mountains. _“If you love me for me.”_

“Breath taking.” Javier sighed, looking more at Yuzuru than the sunset.

“The prettiest sunset I’ve ever seen,” Yuzuru admitted, and Javier squeezed his hand gently.

Javier studied his face carefully. “There’s something about you…” he smiled and Yuzuru’s heart stopped. “You’re honest. No pretences. I like that.” Yuzuru swallowed thickly, smiling a little sadly at Javier. The king stood up and kissed the back of his hand. “Until tomorrow, Your Highness.”

Yuzuru looked at the back of his hand, biting his lip hard as Javier walked back into the palace to his own rooms. Jun jumped up onto the bench next to him once Javier was out of earshot and Yuzuru buried his face in his hands.

“Honest? No pretences? Oh Junnie, Jason and the prince are still missing…” his voice cracked and he buried his face further into his hands. “a-and I think I’m falling in love with the king…”


	7. The answer to our mystery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Under the cover of night, Rika pulled herself up onto another street, letting out a little huff as she stabilised her footing. She sighed, shaking herself off, when two boots stepped in front of her and she hissed, looking up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone in particular (not mentioning names!) asked for this, so here you go! This chapter is sad (sorry!), and everything pretty much goes wrong for nearly everyone. I hope you guys enjoy it xx

Under the cover of night, Rika pulled herself up onto another street, letting out a little huff as she stabilised her footing. She sighed, shaking herself off, when two boots stepped in front of her and she hissed, looking up.

“Why, if it isn’t a missing little feline.” Plushenko raised an eyebrow at her. Before Rika could react, Sasha grabbed the ribbon around her neck and held her up, much to her protest. “With an attitude, oh yes,” Plushenko knelt down to speak directly to Rika. “I never liked cats.” She swiped for his face but he ignored her, frowning at the ring. “The prince’s ring? How odd.”

She struggled in Sasha’s grip but remained trapped, hissing as Plushenko took out the label. “Morozov’s tailors. Hmm. Maybe there lies the answer to our mystery.”

Plushenko took Rika by the scruff of her neck and shoved her into the leather bag attached to the side of his horse before he buckled it shut and set off for the kingdom centre. He spotted Daisuke and raised an eyebrow as he slid off his own horse. He tried the front door of the shop, peering in through the window.

Daisuke moved past him and carefully opened up the bag that was writhing and hissing. Rika popped her head out, gasping for air. “Thank you, Daisuke-san!” She then glared at Plushenko, jumping out of the bag and onto the street, making a dash for the side entrance. “My prince!”

Plushenko spotted her and followed her to the door, trying the handle. It was locked, but some picking of the lock had it open quickly. Shoma gasped when he saw Plushenko stumble through the doorway into the workshop area.

“Plushenko, you found my ring!” He petted Rika’s ears softly. “You good girl.”

Plushenko’s eyes lit up and he smirked dangerously at Shoma. “Prince Shoma…”

Rika hissed at him, back arching, ready to pounce on him and claw him. Shoma looked at her with a mixture of shock and confusion.

“Rika, what’s gotten into you?”

“Come quickly Your Highness,” Plushenko grabbed his wrist quickly and started tugging him towards the door, “you can tell me everything on the way to the palace.”

“But first let me—” Shoma reached for Rika but was cut off.

“No no, no time Your Highness.”

Rika followed them both out, jumping into Daisuke’s carriage next to Shoma, and Plushenko grabbed the reins. Miki stepped out from the storeroom with a pile of fabric in her arms frowning.

“Prince? Prince Shoma?”

Daisuke galloped off and Shoma held Rika tightly to his side for warmth, frowning as they went in completely the opposite direction to the palace. Instead of climbing the mountain, they went lower, coming out by the entrance to the mine. Shoma looked at Plushenko in confusion.

“What are we doing here?” He asked softly. The royal advisor smirked at him like a snake about to strike its prey.

“Taking a little side trip, Prince.”

“You were behind this!” Shoma shouted, eyes narrowing in anger.

“Very clever idea using a double to fool the queen. But not quite clever enough.” Shoma leaned back from him in confusion. “Checkmate! I win!”

Plushenko grabbed Shoma’s wrist and pulled him out of the carriage. The prince stumbled over his own feet, struggling as much as he could. He reached back for his kitten and she dashed in after him, trying to get back to her prince. Plushenko dragged him further and further into the mine before he shoved Shoma down. The prince collapsed to his knees from the momentum in front of Evgenia and Alina.

“Nice to see you, Your Highness. How was your trip?” Alina asked kindly. If looks could kill, Plushenko would have killed her.

“I don’t understand Plushenko,” Shoma asked, looking up at him almost in desperation. “Why would you do this?”

“To be king!” Alina supplied helpfully. Shoma raised an eyebrow at the royal advisor.

“And how would you get to be king?”

“Still underestimating me? Isn’t that just like a royal?” Plushenko waved his concerns away as he grabbed one of his arms, gesturing for Evgenia to get the other. Alina picked up Rika and tickled her stomach lightly, smiling at the fluffy bundle in her arms.

“He was going to marry you,” Evgenia said as she helped Shoma to his feet. Plushenko dragged him to them instead. “Now… He’s got a bride in mind this time.”

“Your mother is a very beautiful woman Shoma.” Plushenko said, and Shoma gasped. He struggled to get out of their grip, but he was dragged deeper into the mine still. Alina unlocked a door and opened it as Plushenko shoved Shoma in. He stumbled over his feet again, and his eyes widened in shock when he looked up.

“Jason!”

“Shoma?” The tutor asked, hands tied behind his back. The prince rushed over to him and started to work on untying him. Alina reluctantly put down Rika with a sigh as Plushenko started talking.

“How sad they’ll be when they discover you’ve died in a tragic accident.”

“They’ll never give up looking for the prince!” Jason argued.

“Oh, I think they will, when I show them this,” he held up Shoma’s ring with a smirk. Just as Shoma got Jason’s wrists untied, the door was locked again. Both men tried to force it open to no avail.

“It’s no good…” Jason shook his head with a sigh.

“We have to stop them!” Shoma said, when the walls and ceiling started to shake. Jason pulled the prince close to him quickly, holding his head to his own shoulder in order to protect him from falling debris. The mine around their little room was collapsing, and Plushenko cackled as he watched the rocks block the entrance, trapping the pair inside the mine. In Daisuke’s cart, he rode back towards the castle.

Once the walls had stopped shaking around them, Shoma dared to look up at Jason. The short man cupped his friend’s cheeks gently, wiping away the tears on them.

“Jason… Jason, please… What’s wrong?”

“Everything.” He whispered, holding Shoma’s hand. “Everything Shoma. He’s going to tell your mother that you’ve died, and the kingdom might give up on looking for you. Not to mention Yuzuru.”

“Yuzuru? What’s he got to do with all of this?” Shoma asked softly.

“I asked him to pretend to be you for a little while so that I’d have time to find you and they wouldn’t cancel the wedding but…”

Shoma hugged him tightly, running a hand through his hair. “It’s okay Jason. It’s… It’s okay.”

“I should be saying that to you Shoma.”

“Everything seems to be in order!” Queen Mihoko said brightly back at the palace. She bowed her head to the ambassador and the king with a smile. “Thank you, Orser-san. The two kingdoms will officially be united after the wedding tomorrow.” She turned to Yuzuru with a gentle smile. “Are you ready, Darling?”

“Ready,” Yuzuru smiled nervously, trying not to fiddle with his hands too much. “Well… Uh…”

“For my groom to be.” Javier said gently, holding out a box to him. Yuzuru opened it and gasped at the golden ring with a diamond set into the band.

“Woah…” he whispered. That ring alone could have more than paid off the rest of his debts. He swallowed down his nerves and looked up, meeting Javier’s eyes.

The King’s eyes clearly flicked to Yuzuru’s lips and the pauper found himself unable to fight what they both wanted. Javier placed a hand on Yuzuru’s waist lightly, holding him close, and Yuzuru cupped his cheek. Yuzuru closed his eyes and both of the men had leaned in, lips millimetres apart, when the door opened, shocking them both.

“Grab him! He’s an imposter!” Plushenko shouted, and two guards grabbed Yuzuru’s arms, pulling him away from Javier. The box with the ring was dropped in the shock and Javier held a hand up to the guards.

“Evgeni!” Mihoko asked in shock. “What are you doing?!”

“Get your hands off me!” Yuzuru said, shaking his arms. Jun poked his head up, watching in through the window. Sasha lurked in the doorway.

“Release the prince!” Javier said, holding up a hand to the guards.

“He’s a fake,” Plushenko pointed at Yuzuru and his heart dropped. “He’s a common pauper.”

“Are you telling me I don’t know my own son?” Mihoko asked, getting up off the throne to go over to Plushenko. The advisor bowed low to the Queen.

“I only just discovered the truth myself, Your Majesty. Aren’t you wondering why we haven’t seen Jason lately? He conspired with this… this imposter. Together they took the Prince and hid him in the royal mines, so that he could take his place, marry King Javier, and take over the kingdom!”

“And what proof do you have of this ridiculous story?” Javier asked, shaking his head at Plushenko. Yuzuru refused to meet Javier’s eyes; he was focusing on not being sick from the nerves.

“Once I discovered this treachery, I tried to rescue the prince, but it was too late.” Plushenko painted on a devastated expression for Mihoko. “They sabotaged the mine collapsing.” She gasped and covered her mouth as Plushenko presented Shoma’s ring to her. “I’m afraid this is all my work has found in the rubble.”

“No!” She collapsed, head in her hands. “It can’t be true Evgeni! It can’t be! Shoma is here! He’s right here!”

The advisor helped her to her feet and sighed. “Check his shoulder. There’s no royal birthmark, I assure you.”

Yuzuru struggled against the guards, biting his lip hard to stop himself from crying as he was pushed in front of the queen. She hesitantly moved the suit from his shoulder, gasping as a wave of tears hit her.

“N-no! I-it’s true…”

Yuzuru looked up at her with tears in his own eyes, but she looked away quickly, pained by the sight of him. The guards let go of his arms, and he pulled his sleeve back over his shoulder when Sasha jumped up, pulling the wig off. She shook it hard and the crown clattered to the floor, right by Javier’s feet.

“I… I don’t believe it…” The king whispered, tearing up too. A single tear escaped Yuzuru’s eyes as he held his hands up quickly.

“I-I can explain—”

“Throw him in the dungeon!” Plushenko announced.

“No! Wait!” Yuzuru moved towards Javier before the guards could get to him again. The king’s eyes darkened at Yuzuru, but the Japanese man had to tell him the truth. “I… I-I’m not the prince…” He struggled against the guards as they pulled him away again. “B-but I never hurt him! Or anybody else!” Javier’s eyes softened and he reached for Yuzuru’s hand for a moment before the other was pulled away from him.

“This is outrageous!” Brian said angrily. Mihoko had collapsed into her throne, sobbing, and Yuzuru was crying too as he was dragged out.

“I-I… I just wanted to save the prince!” He wrestled one arm free from the guard and pointed at Plushenko. “F-from him!”

“The dungeons!” Plushenko shouted.

Javier watched in horror as Yuzuru stumbled out, trying to keep up with the guards as they dragged him to the dungeons. He saw Jun in the window and the cat gave him a sad look before he ran off to find his master. The doors slammed shut behind Yuzuru and the guards, and Javier turned away from Brian to hide his tears.

Mihoko sobbed louder into her hands. “Sh-shoma… P-p-poor… Poor Shoma…”

“What do they take us for?” Brian seethed as he opened the carriage door for Javier. “Fools? Trying to marry you off to a mere pauper.”

“It doesn’t make sense,” Javier said miserably. Brian climbed in next to him and patted his leg.

“I should say not. The sooner we leave, the happier I will be. And you will be too when you forget about the boy you thought you loved. He lied to you, Javier. Remember that.”

Javier couldn’t help looking back as they rode away from the palace. In the dungeons, Yuzuru hugged his knees tightly to his chest as he sat on the bed of straw.

_“Do a plie and never fall. Don’t ever stray from protocol. All through the day there’s just one way you must behave. Do keep a grip and never crack. Stiff upper lip…”_ Yuzuru hiccupped due to his tears, interrupting his singing. _“S-stiff upper lip…”_ He properly dissolved into tears, burying his face in his arms.

Mihoko had stopped crying, but her heart hurt, especially when she looked at up at the portrait of Shoma hanging up in the throne room. It was her favourite; he looked so calm and serene in it even though he’d had to stand there for hours to have it painted. She sighed, rubbing at her forehead sadly.

“Ah, just who I wanted to see.” Mihoko looked up to see Plushenko.

“Evgeni. What is it?” She asked shortly, shaking her head.

“So many problems. I’m here to help.”

“You can’t bring my Shoma back.”

“Too true. But I can provide the answer to saving your kingdom. A little business venture of mine has been very successful. You could say I struck gold.” Plushenko leaned over her shoulder and whispered in her ear. “I’m as wealthy as King Javier.”

Mihoko frowned at him and Plushenko just smirked as he started to sing. _“Well, your good luck has departed, and your people soon will starve. Au revior to your foie gras and cheese fondues! But, because I’m so good hearted, half my fortune I will carve. I feel your pain, so how could I refuse?”_

_“But to give me some incentive, there’s just one thing I require, and it’s something that you’d never even use!”_ Plushenko circled the glass case containing Mihoko’s late husband’s crown. “ _And it’s nothing that inventive, just the one thing I desire. This simple crown, yes how could I refuse?”_

She turned away, shaking her head, and Plushenko pulled out a ring box. _“Oh, don’t let your spirits falter, I’ve a ring box in my hand! And I’ve booked a band so grab your dancing shoes! Come with me to the alter, save the kingdom as you planned, yes, marry me, for how could you refuse?”_

Mihoko shook her head and Plushenko slipped the golden engagement ring onto her finger before she had a chance to stop him.

_“How could you refuse?”_ He fell into Shoma’s throne, laughing. Mihoko just stared at the golden ring with tears in her eyes.


	8. Thanks to Yuzuru, and the man I love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the morning, Jun stretched himself out, stepping out through the bars of Yuzuru’s cell. He glanced back over, whiskers and ears drooping at the sight of Yuzuru. He was asleep on the makeshift bed, but he’d cried himself to sleep, and his eyes were still red and a little puffy. The cat turned away sadly when he spotted a brown horse pulling a carriage running towards him.
> 
> “Are you Jun-Hwan? Miss Rika’s friend?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Penultimate chapter here now! Pretty much everything comes together here, but not quite. Not much else to say here except for thank you for reading, thank you to everyone who's been so encouraging, and enjoy!

In the morning, Jun stretched himself out, stepping out through the bars of Yuzuru’s cell. He glanced back over, whiskers and ears drooping at the sight of Yuzuru. He was asleep on the makeshift bed, but he’d cried himself to sleep, and his eyes were still red and a little puffy. The cat turned away sadly when he spotted a brown horse pulling a carriage running towards him.

“Are you Jun-Hwan? Miss Rika’s friend?” The horse asked, a little out of breath.

“I like to think so.” Jun smiled.

“She needs help! And so does the prince!”

“What?” Jun glanced over at Yuzuru again. He shifted slightly in his sleep. The cat turned back to the horse, nodding. “Show me, quick!”

In the mine, Jason and Shoma had found a pick axe and were taking it in turns trying to get through the wall of sheer rock. Rika watched, letting out a quiet meow when a rock hit her tail.

“Sorry Rika,” Shoma said gently as Jason continued trying to get through the wall. She nuzzled up against the prince’s leg and he rubbed her ears, before he took a closer look at the rock that had hit her. He picked it up and narrowed his eyes at it before he brought it down hard against another rock.

It neatly split like an oyster, and Shoma gasped at the purple crystals hidden inside, ideas forming in his head. Behind him, Jason put down the axe and sat down, head in his hands.

“It’s hopeless. I’m sorry Shoma.” He mumbled, shaking his head. Shoma sat down next to him, looking up at his friend’s face.

“Do you know why I didn’t want to marry the king?”

“You weren’t ready to get married?” Jason replied gently, placing a hand on Shoma’s shoulder. “It makes sense. You’re still very young.”

Shoma chuckled and shook his head. “Not exactly. I’m in love with somebody else.” He swallowed down his fear and looked up, meeting Jason’s wide eyes. “My best friend. The man who’s taught me so much, Jason.”

Jason frowned, looking away, and Shoma’s heart dropped. “But… I’m not a king Shoma. I… I can’t… I can’t give you what he can.”

Shoma cupped Jason’s cheek with one hand and turned his head back to him. “I think you’re like this.” He held out the rock with his other hand.

Jason raised an eyebrow at him. “A rock?”

Shoma chuckled and shook his head. “Unassuming on the outside,” he then opened it to show the purple crystals, “but a treasure within.”

Jason smiled at Shoma and held his hand tightly. The prince pulled him in for a hug, leaning his head on Jason’s shoulder. The tutor rubbed Shoma’s back lightly with one hand, running the other through the Prince’s unruly curls.

“We’ll get out of here somehow Shoma,” he mumbled softly, and the Prince moved his head to kiss Jason’s cheek gently. “I promise.”

“Don’t tell me he’s in there!” Jun cried as he and Daisuke slid to a stop outside the mine. The whole entrance was collapsed in and large rocks blocked everything. Jun placed a paw on one and jumped back with a hiss as more rubble fell down onto him.

“Alright… I… I will not tell you then.” Daisuke said firmly. Jun rolled his eyes lightly before he sniffed.

“Wait… I’m getting….” He spun around himself, following the scent. “Oh yeah! I’m getting…”

“Dizzy?” Daisuke supplied helpfully.

“No, a scent!” Jun looked up at the horse with a grin. “There’s another way in!”

At the castle, as servants rushed around, preparing things for the wedding, Mihoko stood before a mirror in her bedroom. With sad eyes and heavy heart, she wanted nothing more than to throw off the veil and call off this stupid marriage to Plushenko.

_For the sake of your people_ she thought to herself as she held back another wave of tears. She caught sight of a portrait of Shoma reflecting in the mirror and she couldn’t hold everything back, as one tear slipped out.

“Don’t cry, My darling.” Plushenko’s voice made her cringe and she firmly closed her eyes. “You’re very lucky to be marrying me after all.”

She let out another sad sigh and wiped at her eyes as he walked off.

Shoma handed the pick axe to Jason with a sigh as he wiped his brow on the back of his sleeve. He’d gotten nowhere further through the wall, and his friend, boyfriend, insisted on taking over from him. Rika was curled up on the floor, far enough away from the wall to avoid being hit by rocks, but the constant sound of the metal against the rocks stopped her from sleeping. Shoma watched from a little way away as Jason hit the wall, and both gasped as a small spring of water started spilling into the enclosed area.

_Shit_ all three of them collectively thought.

“Hey, hey, hey, down here!” Jun bounced excitedly before he started to dig. Dust and dirt fell away to reveal a large gaping hole and he looked up at Daisuke with a grin. “What do you make of that?”

“Wow!” The horse looked into the black hole. “You are an excellent digger.”

“Thank you,” Jun said, shyly, “but I meant look. I bet I can get to Rika and the prince this way!”

“You are going down there?!” Daisuke asked, shaking his head. Jun shrugged.

“A cat always lands on his feet. Even one that barks.”

Before Daisuke could stop him, Jun jumped into the darkness.

_“La la la, la la la, la la la la la la la,”_ Yuzuru sang softly to himself as he wove several pieces of straw together. He carefully removed a hairpin and tied that onto the end, bending it to make it into a hook. The guard outside yawned, and Yuzuru continued to sing softly. _“La la la, la la la, la la la la la la.”_ Yuzuru’s eyes were fixed on the loop of keys sitting on the guard’s belt; they were only placed on a hook that Yuzuru could have lifted them from. He moved closer to the guard, still singing quietly to himself.

Jun crashed through the ceiling, landing on the ground in a mess of dirt and some pieces of wood. Rika gasped and jumped up, nosing at him to check he wasn’t hurt. Shoma and Jason both looked up at the noise, and then at each other in confusion.

“Yuzuru’s cat?” Shoma asked softly. Jason stepped to under the hole, looking up.

“An old mine shaft?”

“Hello?” Shoma called up it. “Anybody up there?”

“Are you alright?” Rika asked Jun softly. The black and white cat pushed himself up onto his feet and nodded.

“Fine. How are you?”

“If we’re being honest, I really miss my bed.”

“Water!” Shoma grinned brightly, snapping everyone’s attention. “Jason, come on! Help me!”

Shoma started moving rocks, revealing more springs of water, and Jason then hit them. The pair created a mini waterfall before they scooped up the cats and climbed into a barrel. The gushing water surrounded them, and soon they started floating up, through the mine shaft, towards the opening. Rika and Jun exchanged a look before they glanced down into the water.

_“La la la la la,_ ” Yuzuru leaned forwards, reaching with his homemade stick with a hook on the end. He just looped the keys on the end of it when the guard moved in his sleep. Yuzuru froze, watching him carefully. The guard had settled back to sleep. He relaxed, pulling the keys back as he finished the song. _“La…”_

He stood up, picking the key for his cell and put it into the lock. The guard twitched again, but Yuzuru didn’t really take notice of him. He unlocked the door and ran out of his cell, leaving the guard behind as he turned a corner, trying to find a way out of the dungeons.

The guard moved his head in his sleep, and his helmet fell off, clattering on the ground and waking him up. He looked around wildly, eyes widening when he spotted that Yuzuru was gone.

“The imposter has escaped! The imposter has escaped!”

He ran off in one direction and Yuzuru took off in the other, rushing past empty cells. He rounded a corner and tried to stop himself. He ran almost straight into the arms of a guard, helmet covering his eyes, who held his arms tightly. Yuzuru struggled, trying to shake him off.

“No! Let me go!”

“Thought he could escape, did he?” the guard who Yuzuru had lured to sleep glared at him. “I’ll lock him up.”

“I’m to take him to the castle,” Yuzuru looked up at the guard behind him, frowning a little. He recognised the voice, he knew he did, but from where?”

“But—” the other guard protested, and Yuzuru could practically hear the eye roll in his tone of voice.

“It’s the Queen’s orders.”

“Oh, well, right then.” The other guard nodded and bowed to him. Yuzuru found himself being pulled out of the dungeons, nowhere near as roughly as before.

Outside the palace, near where Yuzuru and Javier had walked together, a red carpet and rows of flowers had been set up. An alter sat at one end, and whispers flew through the crowd as Plushenko walked down the red carpet in a sharp white suit with purple accents. Behind him, Sasha walked along with a smug smirk and her head held high. Evgenia and Alina exchanged a look from nearby, and both slipped away from Plushenko. He rolled his eyes at them but ignored it, choosing to focus instead on his future.

Mihoko walked along the carpet behind him, tears still in her eyes, and Plushenko took her hand with a smirk that made her skin crawl.

“Smile, my dear! You’re about to become my queen!”

“Only to save my people.” Mihoko said firmly. “Your fortune will help them all.”

From the side door of the dungeons, the guard tugged Yuzuru out into the open. With a firm glare, Yuzuru stamped hard on his foot.

“Hey!” the pauper was spun around until he was face to face with the guard. He lifted his helmet up to reveal a very familiar pair of brown eyes.

“J-Javi?! I need to explain—”

“I don’t believe you’re the person that Plushenko says you are.”

Yuzuru nodded, heart fluttering as he smiled at Javier. “You do love disguises, don’t you?”

Javier smiled back at him and he could have sworn that his heart stopped. “Come on, we need to hurry and stop that wedding!”

“Do you, Evgeni Plushenko, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?” the priest asked, and Plushenko smirked.

“Yes. How could I refuse?”

“And do you, my queen, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I-I… Uh...” Plushenko’s eyes narrowed at Mihoko as she struggled. “I… I-I…”

“I do—”

“Wait! Wait!” Plushenko and Mihoko turned around, both gasping. Shoma was standing there before them, holding up his hands. “Stop the wedding Mother!”

“S-Shoma?” Mihoko asked softly. Plushenko shook his head.

“But, he’s dead, Your Highness! The imposter must have escaped!”

“No Plushenko!” He pulled down his sleeve, revealing the crown shaped birth mark on his shoulder. Mihoko gasped and ran up to him, pulling him into a tight hug.

“Shoma! It is you! My darling!”

“The prince is back!”

“It’s the prince!”

“Prince Shoma!”

Jason approached Shoma’s side slowly, sighing. Mihoko wiped at her eyes quickly, smiling at Shoma. Yuzuru and Javier rounded the corner and smiled to each other.

“It’s the prince!” Yuzuru said, grabbing Javier’s hand in excitement. “He’s alive!”

“But where were you? Oh… I-I… I thought—”

“What he wanted you to think!” Shoma pointed past her to Plushenko.

Plushenko gasped and looked around in a panic. He ran over to Daisuke and climbed onto him, digging his heels in to make him go.

“He can’t get away!” Shoma shouted. Jason and Javier exchanged a look.

“He won’t get away!”

The king and the tutor climbed on their horses and set off after Plushenko. They gave a firm nod to each other as they galloped after him.

Sasha tried her best to slink away from the scene unnoticed. Jun and Rika blocked her way, standing before a flower pot.

“Not so fast.” Jun said firmly, and Rika smirked at her.

“Now who has nowhere to go?”

“Oh yeah, nowhere to go,” Sasha eyed the two cats before she growled low in her throat. “But through you!” She charged at them, barking.

The two cats sidestepped her, and she closed her jaws around the edge of the wooden flowerpot. She stumbled over, spilling red roses everywhere, and she gasped once she spotted something golden lodged into the box where she’d been biting it.

“My tooth! My golden tooth!”

From behind her, Jun and Rika giggled together.

“Faster!” Plushenko shouted, glancing behind him as Jason and Javier advanced on him. Daisuke didn’t really listen to him, and he hit the side of his boot with the crop. “I’ve seen snails go faster than this. Move it!”

Daisuke pulled the crop out of Plushenko’s hand and stopped suddenly. He spun around and charged back towards the palace, between a very confused Javier and Jason.

“Stop! Stop now you stupid beast!” Plushenko shouted as Daisuke barrelled towards the table of food. “I said stop!”

Daisuke did stop, throwing Plushenko off him. The advisor flew through the air and landed head first into the wedding cake.

“I like your style Daisuke-san,” Rika said with a grin as she and Jun jumped onto his back.

“So do I!” He laughed.

Guards came over and arrested Plushenko, still covered in cake, and Yuzuru and Shoma smiled at each other kindly.

“Plushenko played me for a fool,” Mihoko whispered to her son, holding his hands tightly. “I’m sorry Shoma. And when I think what might have happened…”

“But it didn’t!” Shoma hugged her tightly, smiling. “Thanks to Yuzuru, and the man I love: Jason.”

“Jason?” She asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Shoma’s eyes went soft and he sighed.

“He’s kind, intelligent, and my best friend. Mother, it’s Jason I want to marry!”

“I want you to be happy,” she said, patting his shoulder. “But it’s our duty to take care of our people first.”

“I can do that! I found something very interesting in the mine.”

“Are you sure I can’t convince you to stay?” Javier asked, standing beside Yuzuru, who was sitting on a horse. The Japanese man held his hand tightly, sighing.

“Javi I… All my life, I’ve dreamed of being free! Now my debt’s been paid, thanks to Shoma…”

“Where will you go?”

“Everywhere! I want to sing and see the world!”

“Then,” Javier pulled out the box with Yuzuru’s engagement ring in it, “I hope you’ll take this with you.”

Yuzuru looked away, a pained expression on his face as he shook his head. “I-I… I couldn’t…”

Javier held out his hand and Yuzuru took it. The king carefully slid the ring onto his finger, smiling. “It was meant for you.”

“No promises?” Yuzuru asked as he studied it.

“I’ll take my chances.” Javier said, waving to him as he set off.

“Goodbye Javi!”


	9. And you're always free to begin again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Under Shoma’s direction, the geodes that filled the mine created a new industry. Soon, instead of gold coming out with several mine carts full at a time, the purple crystals were brought out and sold instead, saving the kingdom from bankruptcy. He made an effort to visit the miners as much as possible, and thanked them for their hard work in saving the kingdom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are! The end of this story that I've had so much fun writing. It's been brilliant relieving my childhood to write this, so thank you so much to everyone who has read it and enjoyed it and everything. One more massive, massive thank you to ForeverDoesntExist for being super supportive of every part of the story, and for generally being fabulous. This wouldn't have been written without you; please enjoy it x
> 
> This chapter closes off the story, and also has a bonus section on the end for some laughs. Enjoy!!

Under Shoma’s direction, the geodes that filled the mine created a new industry. Soon, instead of gold coming out with several mine carts full at a time, the purple crystals were brought out and sold instead, saving the kingdom from bankruptcy. He made an effort to visit the miners as much as possible, and thanked them for their hard work in saving the kingdom.

The rest of the kingdom rejoiced when the purple crystals saved them from the crisis, and Shoma found himself smiling too, especially when he finally met King Javier who congratulated him on creating such a wonderful, flourishing industry.

“It’s amazing how much you’ve managed to do in the past few months,” Javier smiled and Shoma bowed to him, glowing with happiness.

“That’s not all I’ve managed to do,” he gestured towards the only boarded up shop in the kingdom.

Morozov glared at Miki as she held Himawari, smirking at him. Without the work from Shoma and the palace for months, the tailor had gone out of business. Shoma chuckled and Javier grinned too.

“Your Highness!” Miki bowed to Shoma with a smile. “How has your sewing improved?” She teased lightly.

Shoma snorted and shook his head. “I’m hopeless. It’s a good thing I don’t have to sew anymore. How are you doing?”

“We’re alright. I do miss Yuzuru a bit, but I’m sure he’s enjoying himself, singing around the world. He always was a little bit of a firecracker.”

Shoma laughed and Rika rubbed up against Miki’s leg, purring loudly. The Prince’s smile dimmed when he saw Javier’s expression. “Um, sir, are you alright?”

“H-huh? Oh, yes, I’m fine!” Javier smiled brightly, rubbing his arm. Miki and Shoma exchanged a look. “Why don’t we all go for some tea? My treat!”

Far away from them, Yuzuru bowed to the applauding audience as he stood on the stage, smiling at them after singing his heart out. People from around the world had heard of this mysterious boy with a beautiful voice in Japan and had travelled from almost every continent to see him perform. He bowed again and sighed, glancing down at his hand and the ring that Javier had given him all those months ago. In his heart, Yuzuru decided where he was going to sing next.

Madridia was only a short ride away from Shoma’s kingdom and Yuzuru’s old home, and so the Japanese man found it easily. He approached the palace very cautiously, afraid of being stopped by guards, when he spotted a familiar figure standing in front of the palace with his horse. Yuzuru slid off his and walked closer, face lighting up when he confirmed that it was who he thought he was. Javier looked up from his own horse at the sound of hooves behind him, gasping when he spotted Yuzuru. He ran towards him and pulled him into a tight hug.

“Yes,” Yuzuru breathed out.

“Yes?” Javier asked, not wanting to let go of him for a second.

“Yes, I’ll marry you.”

Javier kissed him quickly and passionately.

Back at the palace, Shoma stood on his balcony with a bright smile as he watched more flower girls giggle in the garden, picking roses together and making daisy chains. Rika purred next to him contently.

“Shoma?” The prince turned to see Jason standing behind him, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. The prince raised an eyebrow at him.

“Jason? What’s wro—what are you doing?!” Shoma gasped as Jason dropped to one knee in front of him.

“Shoma, God, I don’t know how to say this but here goes. I love you so much Shoma, more than anything else. Every time I see you, my heart skips a beat and then flutters because it’s my love in the shape of a bird trying to get out. I’ve really enjoyed the past few months of being your boyfriend, and your Mother gave us her blessing if you approve. Shoma, I… Shoma, will you do me the honour of making me the happiest man alive by marrying me?”

Shoma leapt into his arms, kissing him passionately as he looped his arms around Jason’s neck, pulling him closer. The other held his waist and kissed him back, one hand moving to the back of Shoma’s head, burying itself in his curls to deepen their kiss. Rika rushed back into Shoma’s room to give them both the privacy they deserved.

“I spoke to Javier,” Mihoko said as she, Shoma, and Jason ate dinner together, “and he said that Yuzuru has come back and they’re planning to get married. I told him about you two, and he asked if you’d like a double wedding.”

Shoma gasped and nodded enthusiastically. “That sounds amazing!”

Yuzuru had only had a few days of tasting what royal life was like. On the morning of his wedding day, he jumped out of his skin, much to the amusement of Shoma next to him, when one of the guards came up to them in a fluster and a panic.

“Oh, we’re so very late! We can’t have you two being late for your own wedding day!”

“Jason waited for most of my life for me to realise how much I love him, and the king waited for Yuzuru for months while he was travelling. Two more minutes won’t hurt them.” Shoma said with a little chuckle. He placed a hand on Yuzuru’s arm, holding him still. “Stay still. Stop twitching so much.”

“But… What are they doing?”

“Smoothing out the edges of your suit, silly!”

Yuzuru raised an eyebrow at him in confusion. It was his turn to laugh when one of the ladies attacked Shoma’s wild hair with a comb, and he himself stood very still as they threaded flowers through his hair. Eventually the maid gave up on Shoma’s hair and instead threaded the flowers through his crown before they placed that on his head.

“Ready?” Shoma asked. Yuzuru nodded with a bright smile.

“Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.” Shoma laughed.

The wedding day was beautiful, with a clear blue sky and bright sunlight. Javier and Jason stood together at the alter with Jun and Rika next to them. Jason’s eyes light up and Javier’s breath caught in his throat as they saw their fiancées walking down the aisle to them.

Shoma was wearing a white suit with gold and pink accents running down the lapels which flattered his figure, making him seem taller despite being next to Yuzuru. His crown had roses threaded through it and Jason’s heart fluttered at the genuine smile on his face.

Yuzuru, next to him, was also wearing a white suit, but his suit had gold and blue accents on it, highlighting his slim figure and tiny waist. He didn’t have a traditional crown, but had a crown of blue roses instead to match Shoma’s crown of roses. Javier sighed dreamily.

Throughout the service, Yuzuru’s eyes didn’t leave Javier’s and Shoma’s didn’t leave Jason’s. Jason squeezed Shoma’s hand lightly and Javier kept a hand almost permanently on Yuzuru’s waist. Before the priest could finish getting all the words out, Shoma had impatiently tugged Jason down into a kiss, hands twisted into his suit to pull him down. The prince’s husband smiled and cupped the back of Shoma’s head gently with a sigh. Javier and Yuzuru exchanged a look before the king cupped his cheeks and pulled him in for a kiss too. The four waved to the crowd as they climbed into a carriage pulled by Daisuke. Miki, Brian, and Mihoko all waved together, smiling brightly at the two couples as they set off together. The carriage sped them away from both kingdoms for their honeymoons, with Javier holding Yuzuru’s hand tightly and Jason and Shoma cuddling each other. Rika and Jun were curled up by their feet, purring quietly.

Shoma and Jason returned to rule over the kingdom with fair hands, and Yuzuru and Javier ruled over Madridia together. The two kingdoms both prospered, and both couples lived happily ever after. Yuzuru and Shoma especially remained very firm friends for life.

_“And you’re always free to begin again, and you’re always free to believe. When you find the place that your heart belongs, you’ll never leave. You and I will always be celebrating life together. I know I have found a friend forever more. Love is like a melody, one that I will always treasure. Courage is the key that opens every door._

_“Oh, you may not know where your gifts may lead, and it may not show at the start. If you live your dream, you’ll find destiny is written in your heart.”_

_Blooper reel:_

“Rika stunt test, take one! And, action!”

A rubber cat had been placed on the back of Daisuke, and the horse bucked, launching it into the air. Instead of it going anywhere near the roof, it instead sailed over the building, landing in the trees on the other side.

“Oh dear…” Rika watched the mess, wrinkling her nose. The camera and stunt crew set up the rubber cat again.

“Quiet on the set please. And, action!”

Daisuke bucked again and the cat flew off at completely the wrong angle, bouncing against one of the walls of the building. Rika flinched.

“I’m not quite sure this is a good idea.”

“Rika stunt test, take thirty-seven! And, action!”

Daisuke bucked one more time and the rubber cat went straight through one of the boarded-up windows, leaving a cat shaped hole in the wood. Rika jumped back with a hiss.

“Alright!” The director shouted. “Let’s bring in Rika!”

The cat’s eyes widened in horror and she shook her head. “Can someone get my agent on the phone?!”

Plushenko in the wedding suit smiled into a handheld mirror, fiddling with his hair as he didn’t realise the camera was running. He let out a sigh, touching the reflection with a smile. “My, you’re attractive.”

Yuzuru was sitting in the bathtub, bubbles coming up to his shoulders as Jun stepped off the stool onto the edge of the tub, walking along it. _“You’re no status quo calico, so why keep trying to be? Cause you’re more than that, you’re a doggish—”_ the cat slipped and fell into the bubbles. “Junnie!”

“Cut!” The director shouted as Jun poked his head out from under the bubbles, hissing. “Can we get a hairdryer over here?”

“Aren’t you pleasant to the eye, you reflection.” Plushenko cooed to himself, still unaware that the camera was rolling.

“Mine cart, take one! And, action!”

Evgenia and Alina ran towards the mine cart. As Evgenia jumped into it, Alina just ran straight past it. Due to the lack of the counterweight, the cart tipped over with Evgenia falling out of it. She burst out laughing.

“Cut! Uh, Alina, sweetheart, you’re meant to jump into the cart.”

“Right! Sorry!” She chuckled nervously, helping Evgenia up. The other couldn’t stop laughing and pulled the other one over with laughter. They both ended up on the floor in a fit of giggles.

“Is that really me? In there? Looking at me?” Plushenko touched the mirror with a dreamy sigh. “Lucky me!”

Birds flew between the mountains as the sun set between them. Javier glanced over at Yuzuru, reaching for his hand carefully.

“Breath taking.” The king commented, watching Yuzuru more than the sunset. The other let out a sigh when a cheesy ringtone cut them off.

“Sorry!” Yuzuru shouted in embarrassment, hastily silencing his phone as Javier burst out laughing. “How romantic, right?” he said to the camera with a laugh.

“Very handsome, very fit! Very irresistible!” Plushenko laughed to himself in the mirror as the crew fell about laughing, capturing the whole thing on camera.

In Shoma’s room, Jason and Yuzuru stood facing each other with a smile.

_“Do a plie, and don’t—”_ Jason started.

_“Ever ever ever fall!”_

_“Never show dismay—”_ Jason started to laugh and dance wildly as the music they were meant to be singing to changed to a dubstep beat. Yuzuru had to lean on Shoma’s dressing table in the room to stop himself from falling over laughing.

“Can we keep that in?” Shoma shouted from off set. Jason snorted and Yuzuru did then fall over laughing.


End file.
